Dreams
by Not A Reader - A Fangirl
Summary: Hermione starts getting strange dreams that involve a certain red-headed Weasley. And it isn't Ron. But as these dreams start to come true, will she be able to fight her feelings for him? Fred/Hermione. This is my first fic, please try it out. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! This is my very first fanfic, so if I did something that wasn't really good, please don't hesitate to tell me. I know the title is a bit normal, but I really couldn't think of much else. If you have a suggestion, please tell me as well. I decided to write a Fred/Hermione fanfic that wasn't about Fred's death, because it's all so sad, and I cry every time, and because I can't really find enough funny ones out there. **

**I think I might add that I'm sort of stuffing OotP, HBP and DH into the rubbish bin. This is all in my imagination, and I don't really want to work around J.K. Rowling's original plot, as cowardly (in an author way) as that might seem. **

**OK, enough chit-chat from me, let's get into the story! If you want to, of course.**

**Disclaimer: None of the characters, places, or anything else belonging to the wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to me. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Oh, how I wish they were mine.**

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CHAPTER 1

Hermione startled awake. She had just had the strangest of dreams. She flipped onto her side quietly in her bed so as not to wake Ginny. She was staying at the Weasley's until she had to return to Hogwarts for her 5th year, which was in a week.

Her mind returned to her dream. Vaguely remembering that most of the content of dreams disappeared from one's memory within 5 minutes of waking up, she tried to recall it as best she can.

The dream had started with her father smiling brightly down at her.

"You ready?", he had asked. She had taken a look in the mirror, propped up in its usual position in what had seemed to be the living room of the Burrow. She was in a big, white dress with a sweetheart neckline and a ruffled, flowing skirt.

"Yes," she had replied.

Then, she was at the bottom of the aisle. She must have just arrived there, because people weren't standing up yet. And at the other end, was her bridegroom, facing the wedding minister. She had assumed, while dreaming, that it was Ron. But she had thought, part of her conscious even while asleep, that he didn't look like Ron. He was slightly shorter, and skinnier, not as muscled. And his best man, standing next to him, wasn't Harry, as she would have expected, but one of the twins.

But all that passed in a split second. She pushed it away-she was about to marry him after all-as people noticed her and stood up. Her bridegroom turned around. And it wasn't Ron.

It was Fred.

At that moment, she had woken up.

She pondered over the strangeness of the dream. It as completely random. She had a plan for her life, and it didn't include marrying Fred. As for the moment, she didn't like Fred, either. Not_ like_ like. She saw him as nothing but her best friend's older brother. She liked Ron, even if he was completely oblivious to it, and annoyed, irritated, aggravated and vexed her to no end. But she was hoping that by the end of 7th year, they would have something with each other, and maybe even marry after graduating.

She pushed it away. It was just a strange dream. Nothing to fret over. It doesn't mean she had to like Fred. Strange dreams happen all the time.

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was four-thirty in the morning. She felt thirsty. She would use _aguamenti, _but she wasn't allowed to use magic, so she would have to get down to the kitchen.

She quietly crawled out of bed, slipped out of the room, and tip-toed downstairs. It took her a while to get to the kitchen, since, let's face it, creeping down the Burrow's staircase quietly _and_ quickly would be quite a feat.

She quickly took a drink, then started to make her way out of the kitchen and back to her room when...

"And what might you be doing down here at this time, my dear Hermione?"

She turned around to find one of the twins coming in through the back door.

"Fred?" she guessed. "George?" It was too dark and he was too far away for her to use the trick she learnt to distinguish them.

"Fred." he replied. "So? What mischief are you making down here?"

"None, actually." Hermione replied, trying to get pictures of him from her dream out of her head. "I was just getting some water."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Right."

"You know I'm telling the truth." Hermione said. "And what might you be doing in the garden at four-forty-five in the morning?"

"Getting up to mischief." Fred answered with a sly grin. Hermione couldn't help but notice how cute he looked when he smiled. _No! You like Ron, remember? _

"I would have thought as much." Hermione replied, trying to keep her cool. "I won't even ask what you're up to."

"Aww, I wanted to tell you." Fred's grin turned from sly to joking.

"No, thank you. Otherwise when you get caught, I'll be punished for knowing the plan and not stopping you."

"But you know that I'm making trouble now, so why aren't you stopping me?" Fred challenged.

"Do you want me to stop you?" Hermione fired the challenge back.

"Well, no."

"Exactly." Hermione smirked. "Well, I'm going back to bed."

"May I escort you?"

"To my bed?"

"To your room. We're on the same floor, remember?"

Hermione smiled at his antics. "Alright."

They started walking up the stairs. Hard as it was to have two people walking side-by-side up the stairs, they managed.

"So where's George?" Hermione asked. "I thought you guys do everything together."

"Upstairs, in bed, snoring his ass off." Fred answered. "We were supposed to do this together, but I couldn't wake him up, so I went alone."

"Right."

"And contrary to popular opinion, we don't do everything together." Fred commented. "We have to do separate parts of a prank separately, you know."

Hermione laughed quietly, and Fred grinned. This time, she couldn't help but notice his dimples.

They reached their landing, and stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Well, see you later." Fred said.

"Yep, when you have been caught and are being shouted at by Mrs Weasley."

"Yes, that is highly likely." Fred grimaced. Hermione laughed.

"See ya." she said, and walked back to her room. She plopped back into bed gently, as Ginny was still asleep, and smiled. She was happy for no apparent reason, and she slept well until morning.

* * *

Fred watched his brother and sister's best friend walk to her room, feeling happy for no apparent reason. He couldn't help but notice, during their conversation, how cute Hermione looked she smiled or laughed. Anyone who said she wasn't at least good-looking would be delirious, which he wouldn't put past Malfoy.

He walked back to his own room, and plopped not so quietly onto his bed, somewhat to wake up his twin brother, which failed. He actually wasn't getting up to any mischief down in the garden. He just found that he couldn't sleep earlier, and went out to the garden to get some air.

He settled for thinking about Hermione again. She was about to turn 16 soon, and he had turned 17 five months ago. That means they're only around one year and a half apart. That's not too bad.

_Why am I thinking about this?, _he thought, realising that it was a strange thing to think of. _Why would I think about Hermione's age? Unless I want to take her out or something, so I'm wondering if the age difference would be okay. _He smiled at the, to him, ridiculousness of the thought. _Which is ridiculous, because I'm not thinking of going out with her. She obviously likes Ron, for Merlin's sake, and Ron like her back. Even though he pisses her off half the time. _He chuckled. He lied back down and went back to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I tried to include some humour into this, but I don't know if I succeeded. I'll try to include some more George in later chapters,too. Please review and let me know what you think. If nobody likes this then I might not continue it. Anyway, I'll give it a while and see how it goes. Okay, bye!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow! I nearly got a heart attack when I opened up my email the day after I posted my story. So many reviews and favourites and follows! In just one day! Thank you SO much to anyone who reviewed, favourited or followed. It means a lot. Trust me, to a budding thirteen year old writer, who's confidence has just recently been smashed by a 'B' in writing skills for English in her report, it's the best thing that ever happened.**

**I will try to update every week or so. But if I run out of ideas, then it might take longer. Or if I'm in an especially needy mood and want more reviews. :D Anyway, if you have any opinion about any part of the story, or suggestions for the story(I might need them) or anything you want to tell me, please review! **

**I'm sounding like I'm begging for reviews, aren't I? Wow, I'm pathetic.**

**Anyways, on with the story! Hope you enjoy it!**

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CHAPTER 2

"Your letters came." Mrs Weasley announced, two days after the meeting, passing eggs around to the kids. "A few owls delivered them when you lot were still asleep. They were a bit late; I was beginning to worry that they weren't coming."

"These are delicious, Mum." Ron complimented his mother as he stuffed the eggs into his mouth. Hermione shook her head. If she was going to marry him, she would have to change that eating habit. And if she won't, she'll advice whoever does get herself married to him to do so.

"That compliment would have an effect on me if I hadn't heard it every morning I cooked you food since you could eat." Mrs Weasley set the pan on the stove and wiped her hands on her apron. "Have a read through your letters once you finish. They're on the living room table."

She then went out to feed her chickens. The kids were left to finish their breakfast. As they eat, they made small talk to each other. Hermione didn't really participate, only answering when someone was asking her. She was too busy wondering about last night's dream.

Yes, she had gotten a dream again. This time, it was only a short dream, and wasn't remarkably significant, but it still left her wondering. She tried to remember as much of it as she can, but can only recall falling, and a pair of strong arms catching her. She had felt so safe once she was in those arms. She wasn't sure, but she could swear she had seen a flash of flaming red hair.

"Hermione? Are you alright?" someone asked, breaking her out of her reverie. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Huh?" she looked towards the speaker. Harry. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Hermione finished her breakfast along with the rest, and proceeded to the living room. They each picked up their envelope from the line that they were neatly arranged in on the table. Hermione noticed that hers had a small lump, as if there was more than just letters than there. She felt a jolt of excitement. Could it be what she was thinking it could be?

She hastily opened her envelope, so quickly she nearly ripped it. She tipped it upside-down with her hand underneath, and out of the envelope it dropped.

There it was, lying in her hand, the thing she had been waiting for since she started at Hogwarts, a gleaming Prefect badge, the letter 'P' etched in black on a gold and scarlet background.

Hermione let out a small gasp. She almost couldn't believe it. All summer, she had waited for her letter to come, just to see if she had been made Prefect or not. She tried to keep her hopes down, telling herself that if she expected too much and not enough came, she would be disappointed. But she wasn't. She kept her expectations down, so she felt even more joyous now. She's a Prefect. Hermione Granger was Prefect.

"Congratulations." said a quiet voice. She looked up at the direction it was coming from. It was one of the twins. She glanced at his left-her right-eye, and found the small freckle there that indicated it was Fred. Nobody else had noticed.

"Thank you." she smiled. She glanced down, and noticed that he was holding his envelope, but it was still closed. His hand wasn't even near the opening, as if he had no intention of opening it yet. As if he was watching her. "Aren't you going to open yours?"

"Oh, there's probably nothing important anyway." Fred said casually. "I definitely won't be Head Boy, unless Dumbledore has finally lost his marbles and/or decided he wants a large portion of the school mobbing his office."

Hermione snorted. Fred smiled, but he opened his envelope. Hermione turned her attention to her letters. One was the usual letter, saying that school began on the 1st of September. The next one was her list of items that she needed to buy for this year. The last one was from Professor McGonagall, confirming that she is the female Gryffindor Prefect.

"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed quietly. Her cry was heard by the Ron, Harry, George and Ginny, who until now were too engrossed in their own letters to notice the recent happenings.

Ginny gasped.

"Congratulations, Hermione!" she squealed, throwing herself at Hermione in a fierce, friendly hug.

"Congrats!" Harry and Ron both said, hugging her in turn. She noticed that neither of them had been made Prefect. She vaguely wondered who the male Gryffindor Prefect was.

"Looks like we have to watch out for her now, eh, Fred?" George teased her, nudging Fred. "She'd be lethal with the punishments, this one."

"Absolutely. Avoid her at all costs." Fred said. "Never make or carry out any plans in the common room," he started in a not-so-quiet, exaggerated whisper, "and always make sure she is occupied before carrying out a plan."

The room shook with laughter.

Hermione sat down on the couch, feeling content and bubbly. Everyone else took a seat, making small talk to pass the time. The twins took a seat next to her. She turned to Fred.

"So, have you been made Head Boy?" she asked jokingly.

"No." Fred replied. "It seems Dumbledore hasn't lost his marbles after all."

Hermione laughed. Fred joined her.

"So," Mrs Weasley was back in the room, "I supposed we'll have to visit Diagon Alley soon. We would have to go tomorrow, once I've had a chance to buy more Floo powder. We've ran out."

"I don't want to be a nuisance, but can we please go today?" Hermione asked. "It's only a few days until school starts again after all. The shops might run out of supplies."

"I guess you're right. It's only four days until you start. Honestly, I don't know why the letters were so late this year." Mrs Weasley sighed.

"But, Mum, that's just her excuse." Fred fake whined.

"We all know the real reason 'Mione wants to go today..." George said.

"...is to get her hands on them books at Flourish and Blotts." Fred finished.

"And Obscurus Books."

"And Whizz Hard Books, too."

"Basically, anywhere that has books."

Hermione sighed.

"Think what you want." Hermione said, as Mrs Weasley glared at the twins.

"Actually, I kind of want to go today, too." Ginny said. "There's something I ordered by owl ages ago that I need to pick up. They've been waiting a while."

"Well, I guess it doesn't hurt." George said.

"Yeah, I've been wanting to visit Gambol and Jape's." Fred said.

"We haven't been in a while."

"I want to stock up."

"And get ideas."

"Okay, okay, stop with the rambling." Mrs Weasley cried. "Alright, I think we all agree we'll go today. But how are we going to get there?"

"We could use Side-On Apparition." Hermione suggested.

"I get dibs on Hermione!" George cried.

"No way! I'm getting dibs on her!" Fred cried back.

Hermione blushed, but smiled exasperatedly at their ridiculousness.

"No, no, no, it's too dangerous." Mrs Weasley said. "There aren't many people around that can Apparate right now. You lot could get splinched."

"So how, then?" Ron asked.

"We could use the Knight Bus." Harry proposed, with something of a joking tone.

"Oh, tell you what." Mrs Weasley said. "As a treat to you lot, yes, we'll go by the Knight Bus."

Hermione noticed Harry's face showed fear for a split second, but was replaced as quickly as it came by a mischievous smile.

"That sounds like a great idea." Harry said. "You guys haven't been on it before, have you? You'll love it."

For some reason, Hermione doubted that.

"But doesn't it cost money?" Ron asked.

"I'm sure I can find enough to pay for all of us." Mrs Weasley said. "London isn't too far away, after all."

"No, Mrs Weasley." Harry suddenly said. "I'll pay for it."

"Oh, no, I couldn't impose, dear." Mrs Weasley said. "Really."

"No, no, it's fine, Mrs Weasley." Harry replied. "I have too much money at the moment. I'd spoil myself if I don't spend it on something soon."

"Oh, alright, if you feel that strongly about it." Mrs Weasley resigned. "Go get ready, we'll be off in half an hour." she said to the rest.

Hermione changed into a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a jacket. She made sure she had everything she needed; her booklist, enough money, and her Gringotts key in case she need to take out more.

Fifteen minutes later, she was back in the living room with Ginny, waiting for the others to come. When everyone was ready, Mrs Weasley led them outside, a fair distance away from the almost toppling house.

As she had never been on the Knight Bus before, Hermione, like the others, were quite curious and excited. Mrs Weasley raised her right hand, and for a few seconds, nothing happened. Then a large, bright purple mass of something slammed onto the ground, making them all fall over. _No wonder Mrs Weasley got us standing far from the house_, Hermione thought. _The thing nearly made it fall over! _

Hermione stood up with Harry's help, and took in the sight before her. It was a bright purple, double-decker bus. The words 'The Knight Bus' was imprinted onto the side, just underneath the windows, in huge, bright gold letters.

A teenage boy hopped out from inside onto the steps at the door. He looked like he wasn't much older than Hermione herself.

"Good mornin'! M'name's Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor for today." he said, looking around at them. "Well, that's quite a lot of you. But come in, I'm sure we've got enough seats."

As they filed into the very crowded bus, it turned out that there weren't enough seats left. There wasn't much space for them to be all in one place, either. So they had to split up. After half a minute of arguing (over who gets Hermione), Mrs Weasley split the group up.

Harry paid Stan Shunpike, and followed his allocated group-Ron, Ginny, and Mrs Weasley-to the second level, and Hermione and the twins squeezed their way to the back, where there was at least some space for them to breathe.

As soon as she was there and holding onto a bar, as there weren't any seats left, there was a loud BANG, and the bus was barrelling down a street Hermione didn't recognise. Yes, barrelling is the right word. Hermione could barely hold on. Her arm tensed and her hand clenched around the thin metal bar in an effort to stop her from falling as the bus dodged obstacles on its way, almost crashing into trees or a fence on the sidelines, saved by them jumping out of the way just in time.

Soon, to Hermione's relief (and everyone else's) they were driving down a straight road with no obstacles in the way. Then she saw that the end of the road split into met another road at a perpendicular angle, with no road on the other side. That meant that the bus was going to turn harshly, one way or another.

Hermione braced herself for the impact. It hit full swing.

The other turns hadn't been as severe as this one. Since she was holding onto a bar on the right hand side of the bus, and the bus turned right at an alarming speed, her hand slipped.

She was falling, fast. And yet, time seemed to slow down. The floor of the bus was coming up to meet her. Any second now, she would hit her head, and faint, or get a concussion or something. Great. She closed her eyes.

She felt something wrap around her body. A strong pair of arms. On instinct, her arms reached up to circle around whoever it was's neck. She opened her eyes.

Twin.

Freckle.

Fred.

One of his arms was wound around her, hand supporting her middle back, the other wrapped around her waist. Her own arms had retreated, one hand on the back of his neck, and the other on his shoulder.

She felt so safe right now, in his arms, despite the fact that the bus was shaking and moving again. She gazed up into his eyes. They were full of concern, genuine concern. She couldn't look away. She didn't. Neither did he.

A particularly violent jolt from the bus lifted her feet off of the floor. Their eye contact broke. Hermione let out a small shriek. Fred tightened his arms around her, and Hermione tensed. Fred set her on her feet again.

It seemed the jolt was the result of the bus stopping at a destination. Stan Shunpike weaved his way to the back to guide a very sickly looking old lady, who had turned slightly green, to the front of the bus to disembark.

"Here, have the seat." Fred said to Hermione, while George glared at anyone who tried to take the now empty seat. Which they shouldn't, you know, out of politeness, since Hermione was about the only girl back there, for some strange reason.

Hermione sat down, and spent the rest of the trip confused and chastising herself.

Surely she shouldn't have these brief feelings for Fred while she liked Ron. Fred was his brother, for Merlin's sake! Although, lately, her crush for Ron seemed to be wavering ever so slightly.

But it's not like Fred would have the same feelings back. Surely he had only acted out of brotherly care, and natural instinct. Who would let a girl fall and hit her head on an unusually turbulent bus? Fred only did it because it was the right thing to do.

But the feeling that had passed between them. How their eyes met and didn't want to part. How safe she felt in his arms. How her heart had increased its velocity. How his shoulder had felt unbelievably good underneath her hand, making her want to move it lower. How his arms felt so incredibly good wrapped around her body.

But he couldn't have meant that to happen. Fred saw her as nothing more than his brother's best friend, maybe even as his own sister. All that was just her. She had just imagined it. Her traitorous mind had made up all that and made her believe it. It was just fleeting.

She had to make sure she doesn't feel like this again.

* * *

Hermione was browsing through the books in Flourish and Blotts (well, what did you expect? Fred and George were right), as the storeowner went to the back of the store to scrounge up any copies that was left of the books they needed, when she remembered she still hadn't thanked Fred for saving her.

She glanced over at Fred. He was with George, Harry and Ron near Divination section, laughing at something that boys laugh about. Hermione decided she couldn't just not thank him for something as important as saving her.

OK. She was going to this the right way. No bumbling, babbling, mumbling, stuttering, or anything that suggested she was embarrassed around him. Anything that suggested they were anything other than friends, or that she wanted them to be more than friends. Because she doesn't. She was going to do this in a friendly way. Coolly, the way a friend (or in this case, brother's friends) would. Calmly.

Because they were friends.

Right?

Hermione walked over to the boys. They all stopped talking and looked at her. She looked around at them. They're creeping her out. And making her nervous. Why couldn't she walk up to a group of boys and not be noticed by any of them?

"Um, Fred." she started, nervously. She took a breath silently. "I just wanted to say thanks, for that thing earlier, on the bus." There. That seemed cool, and friendly. Although a little bit formal. Damn it, Hermione. Why can't you do anything right when it comes to boys?

"What happened on the bus?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Its nothing." Fred said, smiling in his usual way. "Don't mention it. I was only doing what was right."

"What do you mean, what was right?" Harry asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be right to let a lady fall to her death on a particularly turbulent bus, would it?" Fred said. "What was I supposed to do?"

"I wasn't falling to my _death._" Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, OK." Fred admitted. "But you could have had some serious injury."

"Nice to know you care." Hermione smiled coyly.

"Of course he does." George rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do." Fred said at the same time, but his voice was soft instead of teasing. Is it just her imagination, or is Ron turning slightly red at the ears?

"Alright, then." This is progressing into dangerous territory. She's getting away. Now. "I'll see you guys later."

"See ya." the boys chorused.

Hermione had started walking away, when she was suddenly struck with a thought. She turned around.

"Fred?" she asked. When Fred raised his eyebrows expectantly, she asked, "We're friends, right?"

"Of course." Fred answered, smiling widely. "What else would we be?"

Hermione smiled. She turned around, and started walking back to her previous position.

It wasn't until she caught a glimpse of a Divination book, something about interpreting dreams, that she realised with a jolt.

Realised what, you ask?

She realised how scarily similar her situation was to her dream today.

* * *

**A/N: OK, I know the whole 'falling and being caught by the guy' thing is totally cliche, but whatever, I liked the idea.**

**Just to clarify, the day Hermione ran into Fred was Monday morning, so the day this took place was Wednesday. And then they would board the train on Sunday, and school starts on Monday (because for some reason, the 1st of September always falls on a Monday?). **

**I hope I've succeeded in incorporating more humour and George in this. I've read one or two fics that didn't have enough of George which I thought wasn't really right, because Fred and George are always together, so I've been trying to avoid that.**

**So yeah. Review! (There I am, being pathetic again.)**

**See ya next week, peeps!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know, I know, it's not even five days yet, and I'm posting again already. But doesn't that make you happy? Well, I just finished Chapter 3 really quickly, and then I got excited, and yeah, I just had to get it up. Thanks again to anyone who reviewed, followed or favourited. Means a lot.**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Would I really be writing fanfiction if I owned Harry Potter? Exactly. But one day, one day, I shall have Draco Malfoy and Fred Weasley within my possession. :D**

* * *

CHAPTER 3

The rest of the week passed normally and calmly. That is, if you could count a hassled Mrs Weasley; six kids bustling around a very crowded house, trying to pack their trunks quickly; and Fred and George constantly playing pranks to cheer the atmosphere up, failing, and only succeeding in making Mrs Weasley even more hassled, normal and calm. Hermione had packed everything she needed into her trunk, checking three times to make sure everything was there, and made everyone else do it, too.

On the day, they arrived at 9 & 3/4 thirty minutes early, very much to Hermione's pleasure. She, Ginny, Harry and Ron found a compartment and loaded their trunks in there, then went out to say final goodbyes before departing. After lots of hugs and kisses on Mrs Weasley's part, the train was turning around the bend, and platform 9 & 3/4 was out of sight.

"I have to go to the Prefects' compartment, guys." Hermione said to the others, once the station had disappeared out of sight. "I'll be back."

She made her way towards the back of the train, meeting Dean Thomas, the male Gryffindor prefect, to the Prefects' compartment. A few Prefects were already there when she arrived. She was pleased to see Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil were the Ravenclaw Prefects. They made small talk as they waited for the Head Boy and Girl and the other Prefects.

Shortly after Hermione, other Prefects, including sixth and seventh years ones, arrived. Among them are Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott, whom Hermione assumed were the Hufflepuff Prefects. They said hello to each other; none of them had any grudge against each other.

It was an entirely different story for the Slytherins, though. As they sauntered arrogantly into the compartment, Hermione wondered if Fred was right in saying Dumbledore really had lost his marbles. He had made Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson Prefects, for Merlin's sake! _Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson! _

Pansy raised her eyebrows at Hermione as she walked into the room, clinging onto Malfoy. She nudged him as she sat down. Malfoy's eyes followed her gaze and landed on Hermione. She looked back at him, not breaking her eye contact. She wasn't about to give him any sign that could say she was scared.

"Well, well, well." Malfoy drawled, checking first to see if the Head Girl and Boy was there. Once sure that they weren't, he went on. "Look who's been made Prefect."

He stood up and walked over to Hermione. She kept her eyes on him, not showing any sign of discomfort.

"I knew Dumbledore was stupid, but I didn't think he was this bad." Malfoy frowned down at her. "Putting a Mudblood as Prefect."

Insulting her was fine, but Hermione wasn't about to let him insult Dumbledore. Or maybe it was the other way around...

"I'll have you know, Muggleborns have been made more than just Prefects. I'm not wondering how stupid Dumbledore is, just whether he had lost his marbles in making you two Prefects." she shot back. "Snape must have somehow dunked his hand in this. Without his biased persuasions on Dumbledore, you two won't even make it in consideration."

"Don't you dare." Malfoy growled.

"Oh, I dare." she said back defiantly, glaring him full in the eye.

Thankfully, the Head Boy and Girl arrived just then. Malfoy slunk back to his own seat.

* * *

Fred sat leaning against the wall beside the window, his feet propped up on the seat. George and Lee were sitting across from him, already planning some prank, but he couldn't find it in himself to participate in the conversation. He had been fighting with himself to keep it out of his mind all week, but he couldn't ignore it anymore. It had been bugging him.

He knew his reactions to the chain of events that included Hermione in the past week had been strange. It wasn't like him to admit he cared about someone, or for his voice to go soft. He cared for her of course, in an entirely brotherly way, but Fred Weasley doesn't just go around telling people he cared about them.

The truth is, those moments, he couldn't help it. There had been something urging him to say those things, and they just blurted out. That, _thing_, had been suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Well, to be honest, he knew when it happened. It started being there when he had caught her on the bus. Some thing had passed between them that made that thing and placed it there. And if he was honest with himself, that thing had been developing since that night he ran into her at the Burrow.

Because of it, he had almost made a fool of himself. What's more, he almost pissed Ron right off. He didn't miss Ron's ears turning red when he had said he cared about Hermione. Hopefully, he had set everything right again when he told Hermione they were just friends. Ron has a crush on Hermione. She doesn't know, but everyone else does, and it looks like Ron's realising it, too. Maybe this would be what pushes him to finally pluck up some courage and ask her out.

What would it be like if Ron did ask Hermione out? Fred wondered. They hang out enough together already, he and the others had always been seeing her around, so it's not like they'll be seeing more of her. Although, they might be caught in a passionate embrace, so to put it. In other words, a snog. Fred sniggered at the thought of Ron kissing, almost surely clumsily.

But his snigger didn't feel right. It wasn't absolutely funny. A feeling shot up inside him. It was clutching at his insides, squeezing softly at his chest. It was soft and faint, but it left him wondering. It was strange. He had never felt like this before. As quickly as it came, it disappeared.

"Fred, what do you think?" Lee's voice drifted to him.

"Hmm? Yeah, that's a good idea." he answered absent-mindedly.

"What?" George sounded shocked. "Fred, did you hear what we said?"

Fred pushed away his thoughts. He turned to the pair, frowning.

"George just said maybe we ought to stop being such troublemakers," Lee explained, "and I was trying to convince him no. I never thought you would agree to stop playing pranks."

Whoops.

"Oh, right."

"You weren't listening, were you?" George asked. "You've been really quiet today."

"Is everything alright?" Lee sounded worried. Well, you should be worried if Fred Weasley has just agreed to stop making trouble. Even if it was because he wasn't listening. That only proved he wasn't listening, and since when did Fred Weasley not listen to a conversation that includes planning pranks? Something had to be wrong, which only gives you another reason to be worried.

"Yeah, perfect." Fred answered. "Just thinking. Drifted off."

"Right." The pair didn't look convinced. "What were you thinking about?"

"Do you really have to know?" he raised his eyebrows. "Can't I keep stuff to myself sometimes?"

"No, you can't, because you have never kept stuff to yourself." George said. "You have always told us anything that passed your mind."

Alright, that was true.

Fred sighed.

"It's nothing, really."

"Hmm, what could the great Fred Weasley be thinking, that he doesn't want to share with his twin and closest friend?" Lee wondered, almost mockingly. "Oh Merlin! What about a girl!?"

George looked at him with wide eyes. Fred scrunched his eyebrows together, making face that said "really guys?". This seemed to only confirm it for the pair. They bursted out laughing.

"By Merlin's pink underpants, he's got a crush!" Lee could barely get a word out, he was laughing so hard.

"It's not a girl, alright?" Fred wasn't about to admit it. It would forever damage his reputation if word got out that he fancied a girl. He may have just agreed to stop pranking (accidentally), but he still had his pride. True, he had taken Angelina Johnson to the Yule Ball last year, but they went as friends. He had no feelings for the girl, other than friendship.

Wait, did he just admit to himself that he liked someone? He just said he didn't want to admit it. Does that mean he really did like a girl? No, that was a slip of the tongue. He had meant to say he wasn't about to _say_ he liked a girl. Yeah, that's better.

He pushed the subject out of his mind as George's and Lee's laughs pounded on his eardrums.

"I do not have a crush!" he almost shouted.

"Sure, Fred, sure." George said in between his laughs.

Fred rolled his eyes.

The car door slid open. Harry, Ron and Hermione's faces poked in.

"We thought we heard your mellow voices." Harry commented. He and the other two stepped inside. "What are you two laughing at?"

"And why isn't Fred laughing?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Fred...has...crush..." Lee managed to say. The two were still laughing their asses off. Fred scowled.

"I do not!"

"You have a crush?" Harry seemed bewildered. He and Ron joined Lee and George in laughing, while Hermione raised both her eyebrows, her mouth forming a small smirk.

"And who might this lucky lady be?" she teased.

Fred was slightly taken aback by her sexy smirk. He managed to regain himself in time, though.

"I do not have a crush." he said exasperatedly.

Wait, did he just describe Hermione's smirk as sexy? What the hell?

"Whatever you say." she sang. Really, he was grateful to her for not laughing, but only so that she can tease him? Oh Merlin...

"Oh, come off it, Fred." Lee said, the boys finally managing to stop laughing. "Who is the girl who has distracted the almighty Fred Weasley enough that he wouldn't listen to a prank-planning conversation?"

"And consequentially, agree to stop being a trouble-maker." George added. Ron's and Harry's eyes widened significantly, and they broke out in another fit of laughter as Hermione's eyebrows lifted even more in amusement.

Fred rolled his eyes.

"Guys..." Oh Merlin. What the hell? He might as well just say he liked someone, it might just shut them up.

Actually, that's a pretty good idea.

"If I say I have a crush, would it shut you lot up?" he said, testing his plan. They looked like they were actually thinking it over!

"Probably not." Harry said.

"Definitely not." Ron continued.

They bursted out laughing again.

Fred sighed.

"Alright, guys, that's enough." Hermione came to his rescue. "Enough teasing, let's get back to our compartment. And we have to change soon, too, we're nearly there."

Thankfully, the boys did as she instructed. Harry and Ron followed her back to their compartment, and the other two didn't tease him anymore.

Well, not much.

* * *

The next week passed quickly. Hermione and the others settled back into Hogwarts with more than a little ease, enjoying the food, and warmth, and just Hogwarts in general, because it's Hogwarts. Just when they were beginning to relax, they were bombarded with work from the teachers, as OWL's were coming up, and the work was so hard, even Hermione was barely keeping up with it all.

So if Hermione was borderline struggling, you can tell Ron and Harry would be drowning in their homework. The Quidditch practice didn't help them much in the time department, and they were flunking slowly after just one week. Hermione had to help them regularly, in between Prefect duties and doing her own homework.

There were things to look forward to, though, like her birthday. She was turning 16 on the 19th, which was just two weeks and a half from the start of school. It wasn't on her mind too much, though, stressed as she was trying to keep up with everything.

The first Thursday night after they arrived back, Hermione trudged back into the common room after doing Prefect rounds. Harry and Ron were there, despite it being late, books and parchment spread around them. They seem to be whispering to each other about something. Intrigued, Hermione stayed in the shadows of the portrait hole for a moment.

"It's best if you do it on the day," Harry was saying. "It gives you a better chance, girls like that thing."

Hmmm, what thing? And what day? Interesting...She rapped her fingers softly on the wall without knowing it, which unfortunately alerted Harry and Ron that she was there.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. He and Harry seemed quite nervous to find her there.

"Boys." she said evenly. "Do you need anymore help with homework, or can I go to bed?"

"No, you can rest." Harry said, glancing at Ron. Something's going on.

Well, whatever it is, it's their thing. She was too tired these days to worry.

"Alright, then," she said. "Goodnight."

As she turned around the corner at the top of the girls' dormitory stairs, she could see Ron and Harry continuing their whispered conversation as soon as she was out of sight.

* * *

**A/N: So hopefully, that was a fun-filled chapter for you guys. I have a feeling there won't be much humour coming up :/ I'll try, though. I'm onto chapter 4 already. **

**So what are Ron and Harry planning? I think you guys can guess already. I'll be asking for your opinion in the future, so please PM me or review when I ask. I want to make you guys happy.**

**So yeah, see ya!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi, guys.**

**OK, so I don't know why, but this chapter feels really crap. Maybe because there wasn't that many reviews for chapter 3. Not as much as chapter 1. Or maybe because there is a lot of thinking in this chapter, and I guess I've never been good at writing thoughts. So yeah.**

**I finished this chapter on...Monday...I think? Two days ago. But I didn't post it because it was too early, and I was kinda holding out for more reviews.**

**I'll shut up about reviews now. **

**So, enjoy, tell me if it's crap.**

* * *

CHAPTER 4

Oh look, a teddy bear! It's so cute. Hermione's hand reached out to catch the floating fluffy brown bear. The fur was soft to her touch. Hermione brought it closer. The eyes were tiny, the nose round and pink. Its paws were held forward, a small bag clutched in them.

Something was poking out of the small bag. Hermione pulled it out of the bag. It was a small piece of paper. Hermione's fingers fumbled with it for a moment. She opened it. There was writing inside. Hermione tried to read it, but the writing was too blurry.

Damn it, even her dream was annoying her on purpose. Can her dream _mean_ to irritate her?

Something else floated into view. A flower. A rose. A brilliantly red rose. Hermione released the teddy bear, letting float through space, and reached for the rose. There were thorns, but they didn't prick her hand.

Hermione woke. A teddy bear and a rose. What?

Is she forgetting something? Hermione felt like she was forgetting something, but couldn't remember what it was. She needed a Remembrall. Except the Remembrall didn't tell you what you forgot. What was the inventor thinking? What's the point of telling someone they forgot something but not what they forgot?

Hermione got dressed and walked downstairs, deciding to get an early breakfast. She was just about to crawl through the portrait hole, when an ear-piercing squeal met her ears. Next thing she knew, she was in bone-crushing hug with Ginny. Funny, everything is damaging her somehow (ear-piercing, bone-crushing, get it?).

"Happy birthday!" Ginny squealed, hurting Hermione's ears again. So that's what she forgot. "Oh my god!"

The way she's squealing, you would think it's her birthday, not Hermione's.

"Oh Merlin! I totally forgot!" Hermione squealed back. "I'm sixteen!"

She's sweet sixteen! And never been kissed. How true the saying.

"Happy birthday! Again."

Hermione laughed. "Thank you."

"Oh! Here's your present." Ginny held out a small parcel wrapped in light pink paper. Hermione carefully opened the wrapping. It was a book. How typical. The title said, '101 Ways To Tame That Mane'.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ginny, who grinned sheepishly. Hermione smiled.

"Thank you. Merlin knows I need it." she said, blowing a stray strand of her bushy hair out of her face. Ginny giggled.

"Don't mention it."

"Hermione!" a male voice called, coming from the boys' dormitory staircase. Hermione and Ginny turned towards it and found Ron and Harry walking down the stairs, each with a parcel in their hand.

"Happy birthday!" Harry said, holding his present out.

"Thanks, Harry." Hermione said. Harry had gotten her an expensive-looking peacock feather quill.

"Happy birthday." Ron said, smiling strangely. Remembering the whispered conversation him and Harry had had two weeks ago, Hermione smiled wonderingly. She sat down on a couch, tired of standing around. She slowly opened the fair-sized box Ron had given her. She pulled the contents out.

It was a bear. A small, fluffy, brown bear. Its nose was small and pink, and its eyes were tiny. Around its neck was a big, red bow. It was just like the one in her dream. Its paws were poking out, a small bag clutched between them.

"Thank you, Ron." She looked up. Harry and Ginny were gone. Ron was sitting in front of her in another chair.

"No problems." His voice told her to open the note that was sticking out from the bag. She held the small bit poking out between her fingers, and pulled it out. She slowly flipped the note open, slightly wary of what was inside.

This time, she had no trouble reading the writing inside.

"Will you go out with me?"

Fred followed George into the Great Hall, presents, joke and real, in each of their hand. He frowned at the murmuring towards the Gryffindor table. What had happened?

"What's all this about?" he asked George.

"Who knows?" he replied.

"They do." Fred jerked his head at two girls he believed to be Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, the rumoured rumour queens of Hogwarts. The two, as if hearing him, looked towards him, and approached him excitedly. Fred and George raised their eyebrows simultaneously.

"Is it true?" the blonde one, Lavender asked.

"Is what true?" Fred asked back, his eyebrows frowning and raised at the same time (is that possible?).

"Ron asked Hermione out." the other one said.

"And she said yes." Lavender finished.

Fred and George glanced at each other. He did, and she did?

"To be honest, even we didn't know." George said. "They must have done in private, if even you guys don't know for sure." His eyebrows went even further up.

"Well, I think they did in the common room, before..." Parvati started ranting.

"Well, OK, we're about to find out." Fred cut her off, having no desire to listen.

"Tell us when you find out, won't you?" Lavender asked hopefully.

"No." Fred said bluntly. "It's their business, not ours to spread, and not yours, either."

It was Lavender and Parvati's turn to glance at each other. They shrugged, before clearing off. Fred and George started to walk towards Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny, who were having breakfast at one end of the Gryffindor table.

"That was harsh." George commented, as they walked.

"I just don't want our brother's and friend's business being spread around the school." Fred said. He wasn't feeling good.

"Are you alright?" George asked. "You seem...grumpy."

Fred heaved a sigh, trying to get rid of his ill-temperedness. "I'm alright."

As they got to where the four were sitting, Fred tried to put a smile on his face. He partly succeeded when they got there. He got his scowl off, realising that he was scowling, but hadn't managed to put his smirk on.

"Happy birthday, Hermione!" he said with George, throwing the present he was holding to George, who threw it to Hermione. Hermione opened it, took a look at the small, bright pink cylindrical container, and raised her eyes questioningly.

"It's love potion." Fred explained, piling a few pancakes onto his plate.

"Quite strong." George continued, doing the same.

"Our own invention." Fred finished. At this, Hermione eyed the box warily.

"Although, from what we've been hearing, you're getting along fine without it." George commented. Hermione blushed. Ron was too busy stuffing his face with food to notice what was going on.

"Well, that confirms it, then." Fred said, trying to keep the smirk on his face and not replace it with a scowl.

"So, you're going out with our dear brother." George said. Fred tried to push away the strong feeling that had suddenly erupted in his chest.

"Good luck." Fred said.

Harry, Ginny and Hermione snorted.

"Oi!" Ron yelled at them through a mouth full of food.

"But you know what," George started, "can you just slip him that potion anyway? Just to if our product works?"

Hermione looked at the twins with wide eyes.

"Oh, look at her face." Fred smirked. "Don't worry, we won't stoop to that level to test our products out."

"And that's not your real present, either." George said. "This is."

He pulled out another cylindrical container, similar to the love potion one, only purple instead of pink.

"It's a magic hair gel." Fred started.

"Rub some on your hair," George continued.

"Point your wand at your head..."

"...with whatever you want your hair to look like in mind..."

"...and your the gel will transform your hair into that."

"Wow." Hermione seemed, slightly, impressed. "Thanks. I think. Wait, are you saying my hair needs help?"

"No, not at all!" George hastened to say, not wanting to be on the receiving end of one of Hermione's spells.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Fred followed, not particularly desiring the same thing, either.

"Well, then, thank you." Hermione smirked, proud at her ability to scare the wits out of Hogwarts' biggest pair of troublemakers since James Potter and Sirius Black.

That night, Hermione lay in bed, unable to sleep.

Had she done the right thing, agreeing to be Ron's girlfriend? She had been waiting for this since third year, but now that it had come, it doesn't feel as satisfying. She likes Ron. Or rather, liked. She knew her feelings for Ron had been faltering, in light of recent events, but she still had something left. Surely she still does. A two-year-long crush doesn't end that quickly.

And if she doesn't like Ron, who does she like? Or maybe she just doesn't like anyone. Maybe her feelings for Ron had been left alone for too long, and is fading to leave her with no feelings for no one.

She couldn't fool herself. She knew who she could be falling for. But she won't admit she's falling for him.

Ron had looked so hopeful when she looked up from the note, she couldn't bear to take the look of his face. It would crush him. He had obviously been planning this. So that's what they were talking about the night she found them whispering in the common room. And the gesture was so sweet, she couldn't reject him. The cute bear was sitting on her bedside table. It was exactly like the one in her dreams.

How strange is it, that her dreams are coming true? First the one with her falling, and being caught by Fred, now this one. Well, part of this one. If she had other dreams, would they come true as well?

So if the bear was a present from Ron, what about the rose? Could that be a present as well? If it was, then from who? And why hadn't it come yet?

Hermione realised she was longing for the rose.

And if the only thing that stopped her from rejecting Ron was his hopeful expression, does that mean she only said yes out of pity for him? No. It couldn't be. Because she did like him, even if only partly now. She won't let herself admit that she is getting feelings for someone else.

Particularly if that 'someone else' was her now boyfriend's brother.

Fred lay in bed, it being too early for him to sleep. He had, in a fit of bad temper, gone to bed at 8 o'clock, without even doing his homework (but then again, how often do you see Fred Weasley doing his homework?).

He knew why he was grumpy. Or rather, he knew when he started being grumpy. This morning, when he found out that Hermione and Ron are dating. He wondered why it had left him in such a bad mood. He remembered the feeling he had felt when George had confirmed the fact. Just then, it came again.

It felt familiar. Not familiar, exactly, but like he had felt it before. It had felt like that time on the Hogwarts Express, when he was thinking about what it would be like if Ron did ask Hermione out, and if they got caught kissing. This time, though, the feeling was stronger, much stronger. It was clutching at his chest, twisting and untwisting and knotting and unknotting his insides. He didn't like it.

What was it? And why did it only appear when he thought Ron and Hermione together?

Thinking about his reactions to things today, he realised he would have acted much like Ron did when he found out Krum and Hermione-

OH.

Crap.

Really? Could it be? It couldn't be. He couldn't be...jealous.

And if he was jealous, does that mean-that he liked Hermione?

Sure, she was cute and pretty, and smart and funny, but she was his brother's best friend, not to mention girlfriend. He couldn't do that to Ron. Or Hermione. She had liked Ron for a long time, it's so obvious everyone knew, except for Ron, the thick-head. Maybe he was just being...brotherly...protective...?

Oh Merlin. He couldn't fool himself. He knew what he was feeling was more than protectiveness.

But does he really like Hermione?

It would explain a lot, that's for sure. Like why he always felt that feeling when he thought about Ron and Hermione together. Why he was not like himself a few weeks ago, saying he cared for her in a soft voice. Why that _thing _that had urged him to say those things was there.

But he couldn't like Hermione. She was like a little sister to him.

He's getting annoyed at thinking about this. He settled for something else. Subconsciously, without his permission, Hermione came to his mind.

He thought about her. The shape of her face, the soft up-curve of her nose, the rosy colour in her cheeks. Her round, chocolate brown eyes, that were deadly in a glare and beautiful when she smiled. Her body, thin but not too thin, full but not fat. Just tall enough that he could rest his chin on her head. Curvy in just the right way without being sexy in a slutty way. And her lips, her full, luscious lips. Just thinking about them made Fred ache with desire to have those lips on his.

Fred snapped out of his daydream. Well, that just proved it.

He liked Hermione Granger.

Crap.

* * *

**A/N: Ta-da! How was it? Crap, right? I don't know. I feel like it is.**

**So, you know what to do ;) Reviews are HP merch, of which I have none and desperately wants. Go go go!**

**Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Guess what? (Pst, it's your cue) *audience* what? *Me* 'Dreams' has hit the ten thousand words mark! Whoo-hoo! I didn't really expect it to hit the mark until the seventh or ninth chapter, but it did in this chapter, so whoo-hoo! This chapter is approximately 2500 words, making it the second-longest chapter in the story, after chapter 2.**

**Thanks for all the favourites and follows guys, and the reviews too. they really do make my day, and motivate me to write. i finish every chapter, like, 2 days after I post the last one :P I notice the number of reviews are going down by each chapter, but i won't whine. Any review at all is good.**

* * *

CHAPTER 5

Fred woke up annoyingly early. Well, he did go to bed at 8 and fall asleep at 8.30. Of course it was going to be early. The clock on his bedside table said 5.30.

Fred sighed.

He had fallen asleep just after realising he liked Hermione. This was not a good thing.

He had fallen asleep while thinking about Hermione. This was even worse.

_Damn it, Fred! Why Hermione? _He scolded himself. _Why not Angelina, or Katie, or Alicia? Why do you have to like Hermione?_

Ron would kill him if he ever found out. Not to mention Harry, Ginny, and probably George shunning him forever.

Wanting to do something, he grabbed his wand from his bedside table and twirled it randomly.

Hermione. It was obvious now. He liked Hermione.

Crap.

Pop. Fred looked over towards the sound.

It was a rose.

Fred stared at it, not really knowing what to do. He didn't even know how it got there. He must have conjured it up, but he didn't know how in Merlin's name he did.

Probably thinking about Hermione.

He suddenly knew what to do.

He jumped out of bed, got dressed, grabbed the rose, and ran out of the Gryffindor Tower. He ran all the way to the Owlery, meeting no one on the way as it was so early. He looked around the top, looking for an owl to use. He found a school one cleaning its wings relaxedly near the top.

He whistled to it. The handsome tawny owl flew down and landed on a rock ledge. It held out its leg for him. Fred conjured up a small note that said "Happy Birthday. Sorry it's late." on one side, and Hermione's name on the other, in a neat writing that was not like his own. He attached it to the rose, and attached the rose to the owl's leg.

Fred watched as the owl flew out the window, towards the Gryffindor tower. Would she think it was from him? Or would she think it was from Ron? Would she be happy if she knew it was him? He didn't think so. He was starting to regret sending it to her. But it's too late to take the action back...

"So what was that all about?"

Fred started, and turned around. His twin was standing at the door. Crap. He didn't know George had followed him here.

"A red rose? Doesn't that mean love?" George teased him with a smirk on his face. "And who is the chick that you have to use a school owl?"

Fred turned away, and walked towards a window.

"It's not that funny."

"So you do have a crush." There was laughter in George's voice. "Who is it?"

"You don't want to know." He didn't look at George.

"Why not?"

Fred turned slightly so he could see George's face without looking at him.

"It's just-probably not a good person for me to crush on." he said. "It's definitely not a good person for me to crush on."

George frowned.

"Who is it?"

"You don't want to know." he said.

"Yeah, I do."

"You'll hate me."

"Fred,I'm your twin. Even if I wasn't incapable of hating you, I still want to know."

Fred sighed. Well, George was his twin brother. He deserved to know.

"It's Hermione." he said softly, turning away. He didn't want to see the look of disgust that would be on George's face.

Silence.

For a long time.

Fred turned around, not being able to stand it for much longer.

"You're joking." George said finally.

"I wish I was."

"Dude. Hermione."

"I told you you'd hate me."

Silence again.

"What are you going to do about it?" George asked after a long while.

"What do you mean?" Fred asked back. "What can I do about it? I'm not allowed to do anything about it."

"Dude, you just sent her a bloody rose." George fairly shouted at him.

Fred thought about that.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

" 'It seemed like a good idea at the time'? Look, you may be my twin, but I won't let you do this to Ron." George's voice was grim. "She's his girlfriend."

"Look, I know!" Fred shouted back exasperatedly, looking George in the eye. "Did you really think I was going to do that? What kind of brother do you think I am? I would never do that to Ron."

George stared back silently.

"So you won't-won't do anything-?" he asked uncertainly.

"You know I won't, George."

George sighed and broke the staring contest.

"I-I'm sorry." he started. "I guess I just-"

"I know." Fred said. "But you know I wouldn't-"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

They hugged. Twins are inseparable after all.

"Just promise me you'll-control yourself." George said.

Fred rolled his eyes. "I'm not that far gone."

"Well, she is cute." George commented. Fred eyed him suspiciously. "NO! No! Me admitting she is cute is only proof that I don't like her, alright?"

"Alright."

"Besides, I like someone else."

Fred smirked. It's George's turn to be humiliated.

Even if no one was around.

* * *

She was kissing him softly. Well, assuming it was a boy. She ran a hand through his hair. Yep, it's a guy. She could feel his hand on her cheek, and another on her waist. He was kissing her back. It felt so good. Her insides were doing back-flips. She opened her eyes just a centimetre. Trademark Weasley flaming red hair. But which Weasley? She couldn't see properly. The feeling his lips were creating overpowered her question. She closed her eyes again.

Hermione woke up.

A kissing dream.

Wait. Another dream? If all her other dreams came true, would this one come true as well? Crap. This had better not come true.

Unless it was Ron. Then it'd be perfect. And it is Ron. It totally is Ron. It can't be anyone else. So no crap here. None at all.

Unless it wasn't Ron.

_No, no, no!_

It was Ron. It has to be Ron.

_Agh! Whatever, it's only a dream. There's no guarantee it'll happen. Just because the other ones did doesn't mean this one will. Right? Agh!_

Hermione got out of bed and got dressed.

Click! Click! Click!

The sound was coming from the window. An tawny school (she assumed) owl was there, tapping its beak against the glass. Hermione opened the window. The owl dropped its delivery on her bedside table, and flew away before she could do anything.

She looked at the delivery.

It was a rose. A beautiful, red rose.

Hermione picked it up.

There were thorns, but they didn't prick her hand. It was the perfect colour blend, brilliant red and just a hint of pink. The petals were soft and delicate, tinged with white at the tips, the journey from the Owlery to her room just long enough for the wind to ruffle the them to the perfect amount. This must be the rose her dream foretold. Is it from Ron? Or someone else?

There was a small note attached to the stem of the rose. On one side was her name, the other side said "Happy Birthday", with an apology for being late.

A red rose means love. Any colour rose means love.

Is it from Ron? Only Ron would send a rose to her right now, seeing as they were going out. There was no name on the note. So the person didn't want her to know it's them? If it was Ron, he would want her to know it was him.

So it's not Ron.

Crap.

Anyone other than Ron sending her roses is not good.

Who is it from?

Hermione had an idea, but didn't want to admit it.

* * *

Fred couldn't sleep. It was ten o'clock at night, and he still couldn't sleep. Which is alright, seeing as it was Friday night, and Saturday the next day, and he could sleep in, but the Quidditch game was on Sunday, and Angelina wanted to have a full day's practice tomorrow.

Fred sighed. He wasn't getting to sleep anytime soon. He hasn't even tried it before, but now that he has been pushed to the limit, he was going to have to use that reading tip people always use. He got up and searched for his 'Quidditch Throughout The Ages' in his trunk and on his table, but it wasn't there. He remembered that he had been reading it that afternoon in the common room, then got up to read a notice about a Hogsmeade day next Saturday, and had left it on a table in the common room.

He grudgingly walked out of his dormitory, not wanting to go out into the cold common room. As he walked down the stairs, he realised there was still someone in the common room, sitting at a table with books and parchment spread all over the table. It was Hermione. Fred considered going back up to the dormitory. His body didn't obey his brain.

"Hermione." he said, sitting down in a chair next to her.

Hermione had been staring at her parchment for some time, apparently thinking about something, probably her work. She looked up and registered Fred was there, and a tired smile spread on her face.

"Hi, Fred." she said.

"Why are still up? It's ten o'clock." Fred chided her, not really knowing what else to say.

"It's just some homework that I needed to do." Hermione gestured to her books and parchment.

"You could do it on the weekend." Fred frowned.

"Well, yeah, but Sunday is the Slytherin vs Gryffindor game, and I wanted to relax tomorrow, so I wanted to get it finished today." Hermione explained. "I want a relaxing weekend. No homework, no fuss, just...relaxing."

"Wow. Hermione Granger, not wanting to do homework." Fred raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Must be a first."

Hermione laughed and slapped him lightly.

"So what were you doing, coming down here at 10 o'clock at night?" she asked.

"I couldn't sleep, so I was considering a bit of reading." Fred started explaining. "You know, they say when you can't sleep, a bit of reading might help."

"Wow. Fred Weasley, wanting to read." Hermione repeated his words, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Must be a first."

Fred laughed. Hermione can be funny when she wants to be.

"Hey, how else did I get my OWL's?" he asked.

"You barely scraped through."

"True, but still."

"Well, whatever. That still doesn't explain why you were walking down here."

"I was looking for my 'Quidditch Through The Ages' book, then I realised I left it down here."

"Oh, yeah. I saw that on one of the tables earlier." Hermione said, bending down towards her bag at the foot of her chair. "I thought I'd better take before some first year tries to steal it."

Hermione rummaged in her bag, trying to find his book. There he saw it, a flash of brilliant red. She came up again, book in hand. He can see it clearly now, the rose he had sent her this morning, still beautiful and fresh. He had totally forgotten about it, once George had admitted he liked someone. Fred had been to busy teasing him and listening to his stories of Alicia, he had totally forgotten about sending Hermione the red rose. He had remembered afterwards of course. All day he had wondered if it was as beautiful to Hermione as she was to him.

"Who's that from?" he asked, putting on a masked face complete with smirk and raised eyebrows. He bent down and quickly picked up the rose from inside her bag. It felt familiarly comfortable in his hand.

Hermione blushed. She tried to snatch it back from him, but Fred raised his hand above his head, so she can't reach it.

"Who's it from?" he said, enjoying teasing her too much to feel that jealous feeling when he continued. "Ron?"

"I-I don't know actually." her eyes were wide and darted around, as if she was scared someone would hear.

"So it's not from Ron?" he let his smirk drop.

"No, I don't think so." Hermione answered. "There was a note that came with it today, but it didn't have a name."

"Right."

"Don't tell him, will you?" Hermione seemed worried. "He'd go ballistic."

"No, I'll keep the secret." Fred felt grateful that she had even trusted him with the secret.

"Thanks." Hermione snatched the rose back while Fred was of guard, watching her intently. Should he tell her? She went back to her work, smudging ink on her fingers slightly. "I was trying to do homework earlier, but I couldn't concentrate, 'cause-'cause I was wondering who sent it."

"Hermione?" Fred settled on his decision. So what? All worries about Ron and George and anything else had gone out of his head.

"Yeah?" she didn't look up from her parchment.

"I sent it." he said softly.

Hermione stopped her furious scribbling. She looked up at him, her face disbelieving. "You're joking with me, aren't you?"

"No." Fred looked her straight in the eye. Hermione rubbed a tired eye, unknowingly spreading some ink on her cheek. Fred noticed, and rubbed a finger over her cheek to get rid of it. But once he was done, he didn't take his hand away. He kept it laid on her cheeks.

"Fred." Hermione said, and he could only find the tiniest hint of a warning in her tone. She sounded like she wanted it, too.

"Hermione."

All promises forgotten, Fred pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

"Fred." Hermione said warningly. Even she could see that there wasn't much warning in it. Was he going to do what she thought he was going to do? What she wanted? Yes, she wanted it.

"Hermione." Fred said back. His green eyes had gone darker than their usual shade.

He pressed his lips to hers.

Suddenly, nothing mattered anymore. It didn't matter that she was dating, it didn't matter that she was dating the brother of the person she was kissing, it didn't matter that she had only been dating for less than two days. All that mattered was his moist lips on hers, moving softly, creating the most wonderful feeling. His nose was right beside hers, and she felt herself sigh into his mouth. All worries forgotten, she kissed him back.

She gently moved her lips, her hands coming up to cup his face, as his moved down to the back of her neck. Her stomach was doing back-flips, her body warming up, her heart going faster than Harry's Firebolt. His lips created the most wonderful sensation. They wrapped around hers, caressing them like they were the most precious things in the world. Now his tongue was sliding along her bottom lip, sending a shiver down her spine, willing her to open to him. Gosh, how she wanted to, breaking the alarm bells pealing in her head and throw them in the bin. He kissed better than she had ever imagined Ron would.

Oh, God. Ron!

Hermione pulled away. Her face was a mixture of shock, surprise, and terror. Her fingers went to her lips, touching them softly as if something had happened to them, which of course, something had.

"Oh, God." she whispered, before standing up abruptly. "I'm sorry."

She ran up the dormitory staircase, leaving him gazing after her, still dazed from the kiss.

Fred sighed, packed up her books and work, setting them neatly on the table, and went back to bed.

He still couldn't sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Oooohh! Kissing. Things are started to get scandalous. So I hope that kissing bit was alright. I had my friend (who has never read HP before. I know, I tried, but she hasn't read it yet :/) read it, and at first she said, maybe more details but not too much. So I re-read some kissing scenes in my favourite stories list for inspiration, and added a few lines, and then she said it was too long .**

**I added the George and Fred fighting bit because I got inspired by another story, and George has been slightly left out recently, so yeah. And they are twins, so they should know all of the other's business. I hope things aren't moving too fast between Fred and Hermione. If it is for you, don't worry, they slow down after another few chapters.**

**Reviews are a HP box set. I really want one. **

**See ya's!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi, again! Thank you for all the follows and favourites! I find some notices in email inbox everyday, and it makes me so happy! Thank you so much.**

**This chapter is the new second-longest chapter, ranging at some 2700 words, with Chapter 2 still in the lead. Hehehe.**

**So, I said I would update every week, but I seem to be updating every four days and so :P Oh well. As for this chapter, guess what? More kissing! :D Thought you'd like that.**

**So, enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER 6

"Alright, Fred, what's going on?" George asked as soon as Angelina's back has gone out of sight from the changing room.

"What do you mean, what's going on?" Fred asked back, tired after 3 gruelling hours of Quidditch practice.

"You haven't been right today," George said.

"Yeah, I have," Fred retorted. "I've been fine."

"Yeah, which is why I had to hit every bludger that came anyone's way, and whenever Ron talks to you, you seem more nervous than you have ever been in your life," George said impatiently. "And you've never been nervous in your whole life."

Fred sighed inwardly. George was right. He hadn't been focused on the game today, and had scared every time Ron talked to him. He had been avoiding Ron. He was slightly afraid that Ron had found out about last night. He had let nearly every Bludger hit someone, and had nearly cop a hit himself.

"So spill," George continued. "What happened between you and Hermione?"

"Why would you assume it has something to do with Hermione?" Fred asked, eyeing George.

"Why else would you be avoiding Ron?"

So George had noticed. Was he being that obvious? Did anyone else notice?

"Go on, then," George said. "What happened with you and 'Mione?"

Fred considered telling George. Or not telling him, really. He really didn't want George to know. He would be even more disgusted with him than he was yesterday. Now if he finds out that not only does he have a crush on Hermione, but he also kissed her, he would probably never speak to him again. And Fred had promised to not do anything. And he broke that promise.

"Fred?" George asked. Fred looked up, unfortunately right into George's eyes. They demanded to know his secret, in a calm, soothing way. "I know what you're thinking. I can't hate you anymore, no matter what you do, right?"

"You might."

"How can I? What could be worse than you crushing on Hermione?"

Fred sighed. He couldn't keep it from George. Yes, George might hate him forever, but he deserved to know, more now than ever. Ever since they were small, they had known every last detail of each other's business, in the rare occasions when they were separate. Even if he was going to hate Fred, it wouldn't be right to keep things from him.

"Me kissing her is worse," he said quietly, just loud enough for George to hear.

"You did _what!?" _George asked, his eyes turning wide and accusing. Great, the start of a lifelong hatred from his twin brother.

"I kissed her." Fred admitted, looking away.

"Fred, you bloody bastard!" George yelled. He ran forward and thrusted an arm to Fred's chest, pinning him painfully against the wall of the changing room as he yelled the last word. Fred let out a grunt. "How could you! You promised you wouldn't do anything!"

"George, I'm sorry!" Fred tried apologising. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

"When did it happen? I was with you all day yesterday."

"At night, 10 o'clock." Fred explained. "I was getting my book from the common room to read because I couldn't sleep, and Hermione was there, and we talked and then..." he trailed off.

"You git! Did you even think about Ron?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't-I wasn't thinking. Everything just went out of my head!"

"You promised me you wouldn't." George's voice was low and deadly now.

"I know. I'm sorry. I completely forgot."

They were silent, not knowing what to do or say. They only kept eye contact, George glaring at Fred, and Fred looking apologetically back. Finally, George let go of him, looking away for a moment. They were both breathing heavily. George looked back at him.

"This had better not happen again."

"It won't," Fred replied, then added, "Please don't tell Ron."

"I won't. Are you going to fix it?"

"How?"

George thought for a moment. "I don't know."

Now they were silent again, but this time not looking at each other.

"George?" Fred said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry." He meant it.

George didn't say anything.

"Don't apologise to me." he said after a while. "You didn't do anything to me."

"I broke my promise."

George looked straight into Fred's eyes.

"It's alright." he said. "You've broken plenty of promises you made with me before."

Fred chuckled slightly. George making a joke was a good sign.

"Words of truth. Sorry for those, too."

George chuckled.

"It's alright." He promptly walked up and smacked Fred on the back of the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Your punishment." George said. "Fred?"

"Yeah."

"I just want you to know, no matter what, I'm on your side." he smiled.

"Even if I hooked up with Hermione?"

George eyed him, then smiled. "If you do it after they broke up, then yes."

"What if I did while they're still dating?"

"I'd beat the heck out of you."

"Thanks." Fred smiled back. He knew George meant it well. Not that he would hook up with Hermione while she was still dating Ron, anyway.

They started walking back to the castle. They walked in silence until George spoke again.

"So how was it?"

"How was what?" Fred asked.

"How was the kiss?" George said, surprising Fred. He took a moment before answering.

"It was good."

"Psh, that's all you can give me?"

Fred laughed.

"It was...I don't know how to describe it! How do you describe a kiss?" **(A/N: Fred, just ask all the fan-fiction authors. They'd sure as heck know how to describe a kiss.)**

It was George's turn to laugh.

"How was she?"

"She was...a good kisser."

"Now we both know that was an understatement."

George was right. The moment she responded to his kiss, he had been taken to seventh heaven. She kissed better than Venus could have, if he ever had the chance to prove it. Fred had kissed a fair few girls, and none of them had been half as good as Hermione was.

"Yes we do."

"So?"

"So what?"

"More."

"Can we stop this now? It's my private moment."

"But we always share things with each other." George whined jokingly. Fred smiled.

"Yes, but not this time."

"Come on." George pouted. Fred laughed.

"One day, you'll have your kiss with Alicia, and I'll ask you about it, and you will refuse to answer."

"True enough."

"So, stop asking me about my kiss, and I won't ask you about yours when it comes."

"That's a deal."

"Well, I won't ask much, anyway."

* * *

Hermione was trying to do her work. She was failing. She was trying to do her homework that she was supposed to be finished last night. She was failing because she was thinking about the thing that had prevented her from finishing it last night.

She kissed Fred.

Oh, Merlin.

She kissed Fred! _I am such a bad person,_ she thought.

Two days into dating her first crush, and she'd already kissed someone else. What's worse, she'd kissed his brother!

_I am such a bad girlfriend._

But she wasn't really cheating, right? Because Fred started the kiss. He kissed her first. It wasn't her fault.

But she had kissed back. And it felt good.

_No, no, no, no!_

She couldn't deny that it had been good. It had been better than she imagined Ron kissing her. It had been better than she had imagined Viktor Krum kissing her, although she had never let him, contrary to popular opinion. It had been better than she imagined her first kiss. It had been the perfect first kiss, except for her running away and it being her cheating on Ron.

But she wasn't really cheating on Ron, was she?

Yes, she was.

She felt so guilty.

But she couldn't shake the memory away, she couldn't shake the feel of his lips from her mouth, the feel of his hand on her cheek. It had been on her mind all day.

Hermione realised she didn't mind kissing Fred.

_Crap, crap, crap! No!_

And the rose. She can't say she was surprised. All yesterday she had been thinking about who could have sent that rose, and Fred had came to her mind more often than she was proud to admit. She had been thinking about it so much, Harry and Ron had asked her for notes for classes, and several times, she had nearly had to say she didn't have them.

Hermione Granger, slacking off in class!

Oh Merlin!

And Fred had admitted he liked her. Maybe not verbally, but what else can you mean when you admit to a girl that you sent her a red rose?

He liked her.

Does she like him back?

She knew her feelings with Ron had been fading. Maybe that's why she didn't mind kissing Fred. And she knew that lately, she had been getting tiny little feelings for Fred. How else would you explain looking forwards to seeing him in the halls, tiny teeny minuscule heart flutters every time he talked to her, over-enjoyment when he made a joke? All that had happened without her knowing in the weeks before her birthday, and she didn't even realise until looking back at it now.

So...she liked Fred?

_Just a little bit, _she admitted to herself.

Somehow, she was going to have to make that little bit go away. Somehow.

* * *

Sunday came, and so did the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game. Hermione cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's, when Harry caught the Snitch five minutes after it was released, bringing the Gryffindor's total to 340 beating the Slytherin's by 250 points.

Hermione walked down to the changing rooms and waited outside for the team to come out. The team walked out, and Hermione beamed. She saw him first. He saw her, too. He was trying to catch her eye, about to say something. She avoided his gaze, her smile dropping just a bit. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet, much less in front of the whole Gryffindor Quidditch team. She had resolved to make her feelings for him go away, and she isn't going to reach that if she talked to him now. It was better to just avoid him.

Just as he was about to say something, Ron ran up to her, a huge smile on his face, and Hermione pasted hers back on. Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up, swinging her around quickly, causing Hermione to let out a small shriek.

Ron settled her down. Then, he planted a kiss full on her lips.

Hermione was too shocked to respond. She smiled sort of dazedly when Ron pulled back a few seconds later. She blushed at the whoops and catcalls from the team, who had all witnessed the kiss. Yup, the _whole _team.

Hermione figured she should do something, but she couldn't bring herself to. Not with Fred still standing behind Ron, just next to the changing room door. Maybe if they were in private, she could forget about what happened Friday night and kiss Ron. But now...

"Come on," Harry shouted. "Is that all your boyfriend gets?"

Hermione lowered her head. Well, then. She quickly lifted her head, and pecked Ron on the lips, feeling extremely guilty and uncomfortable. Ron smiled while the rest of the team cheered. It felt wrong to be kissing Ron when she had kissed his brother just two nights before. Hermione walked back to the castle with the team, her smile still on her face, but her mind still full of uncomfortable doubt.

* * *

Hermione patrolled the halls, feeling chilled in her simple, thin T-shirt and jeans. She had forgotten to grab her jumper on the way out of Gryffindor tower for her twice-weekly curfew patrol. She turned a corner, finding a couple of lost Ravenclaw first years, and directing them back to Ravenclaw Tower. Well, if they can't answer the question, they'd be stuck outside anyway.

She continued walking down a hallway.

"Hermione."

Hermione turned. He was there. He had obviously been waiting for her.

"Fred." She tried to sound casual. "You shouldn't be out this late. It's nearly curfew."

"I know. I wanted to talk to you."

"How did you know I was here anyway?"

"You left your schedule next to your books on a table last night."

She knew she should have packed her stuff away before going down to the kitchens for a snack. So no-one had stolen anything, just Fred ambushing her to talk.

"You could have talked to me at lunch or in the afternoon or sometime, not now."

"Yeah, but you've been avoiding me."

So he had noticed? It was true, she had been avoiding him, in the hallways, in the Great Hall, in the common room. She avoided sitting next to him for meals, didn't meet his gaze in the halls, and sat far away from him in the common room. It was just easier to shoo her feelings away that way. Not that they obeyed. They were still stubbornly there.

"Listen," Fred started. "I just wanted to-to say sorry, for...what happened the other night. I shouldn't have done it."

Hermione didn't need to ask to know what he was talking about. She looked away and stayed silent. She didn't know what to say.

"I-I just-I don't want things to go wrong for you because of it, but...please don't ignore it."

What?

Fred turned to go, but before he could, she spoke up.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Fred turned around again.

"It means...I don't want you and Ron to break up because of it," he explained. "But just-just don't-never mind."

Never mind? He wanted her to not mind?

"Forget I said anything. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

He turned to go again, and again, she spoke before he could go.

"You want me to forget everything?"

"Not everything, just..."

"I don't want to forget everything."

Fred looked at her, somewhat pleadingly.

"Hermione..."

"No. Because if I did, all I would have left is an awkward relationship between us where I'm dating your brother and you had just kissed me."

She said all of it in one breath, flinging her arms up from where they had been lying limply by her side. Fred turned away.

"Look," she said again. "These...feelings that you're having..." he didn't object, so she assumed he agreed that the rose was a indication that he liked her, "...you might not be the only ones having them."

Fred turned back to her, and Hermione thought she could see disbelief, shock, relief, joy, and fear in his eyes. With one swift motion, she walked up to him, took his face in her hands, and kissed him.

At first he was too shocked to move. Then, just as she was about to move away, she responded. He kissed her, his arms moving to wrap around her waist, holding her tight. Her arms curled around his neck, her hands tangling themselves in his hair. He deepened the kiss, and she didn't object. This kiss was more intense, more passionate than the last one they had shared, and yet she didn't mind. If anything, it was even better.

Suddenly Fred turned around and started walking, still holding Hermione tightly by the waist. Hermione walked backwards, not caring where she was going. She found herself backed up against a wall. They pulled each other even closer, his Quidditch-toned frame pressing against her soft and supple one. Their kiss deepened even more, lips and tongues fighting for dominance.

Suddenly, Fred tore his lips away from hers. Hermione protested softly. He lowered his head and started raining soft butterfly kisses up and down her neck. Hermione let out a small breath at the sensation of his lips on her bare flesh, her head falling back, her eyes still closed.

Then she snapped back to reality.

"Fred," she said softly. When he barely heard her, she said again, a little louder. "Fred."

Fred stopped, as if realising it, too. His lips moved away from her neck, his head coming to rest on the wall behind her. They were silent. After a few seconds, Fred stood up straight, moving away from Hermione.

"I'm sorry."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving her lips smouldering and her body aching for more.

* * *

**A/N: I wasn't sure what to write for the Quidditch scene. The scene is dedicated to Minty Siren7, who helped me with the scene. Truthfully, I had that scene in mind, but didn't really know what to do. You gave me inspiration, so thanks.**

**The line "Come on. Is that all your boyfriend gets?" is stolen (shame on me) from Just A Harmless Joke, by CrazyGirl47, which is also a really good Fremione fic, that is on my Favourites list. I recommend you read it, along with CrazyGirl47's other stories.**

**How was the kissing scene? I imagined it so many times, but when I wrote it down it wasn't very long. Oh well. I considered moving it the next chapter after seeing that this one is so long, but I wanted to end the chapter with "leaving her lips smouldering and her body aching for more." The sentence sort of popped into my head one night, and it seemed good, so I wanted to end a chapter with it. So yeah.**

**Reviews are...a full set of Harry Potter books, along with accompaniment books, which I haven't got :'(**

**Bye!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hi, again! So this is probably the longest time I've taken to update, which I am strangely proud of xD. I feel like I update too early all the other times, and it makes me feel immature or something. I finished this chapter a day after I finished the last one, which is amazing for me. I tried to give you guys some time to ponder over the last chapter.**

**A warning. Well, not a warning, really. More like a...note? Anyways. I don't think there will be many more dreams for Hermione coming up. I just can't think of anymore to fit the storyline. Yeah, because the way I did it was think about what I want to happen next, and then make up a dream to fit it. The dreams were only really a starter. But don't worry, I assure you that the story will still be fabulous. I hope.**

**Another note is that I don't think I can fit any humour into this anymore. It's more about drama now. I guess I'm not much of a humour writer. If you want humour, go check out my favourites list. **

**Thank you again for all the likes and favourites. Don't forget to review!**

**Now on with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 7

The next day, Hermione received a letter.

_Hermione,_

_I think this is the safest way to communicate with you right now. I don't think I can control myself if I talk to you alone again._

_I'm sorry, again, for what happened last night. I went too far. I shouldn't have. I guess it was just the spur of the moment. I...I got lost in it._

_I hope Ron doesn't know. I know the consequences wouldn't be good for you, for either of us, if he does. Speaking of Ron, I would like to make a suggestion. I think we should be friends, for Ron's sake. Let's forget all this (if we can) and be friends._

_Once again, I'm sorry._

_Fred_

Hermione sighed.

Of course Fred would be like this. He is a good brother after all. Unlike her, who was probably the worst girlfriend in the world.

She couldn't even say that she wasn't cheating now. Before, there was that argument of Fred starting the kiss, but even that didn't work anymore. This time, she had started the kiss. The second, passionate kiss that followed her confession that she might have feelings for him, too. She wondered if he'd pondered that.

His letter had been so...formal. It wasn't just some note. It was a formal letter. Professional. Distant. Friends.

Hermione sighed. She tried to write back to Fred, saying it was alright and agreeing to his suggestion. She tried to make her letter sound friendly, not too familiar, but not too formal, either. It took her ten minutes to write something she thought was fitting.

If a friendly letter took that long, how long would it take for her to go back to being his friend?

"Fred?" George asked, as the school owl flew away, carrying Fred's letter with it to Hermione.

"Yeah?" His twin brother turned to him.

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think, that your mind has been on Hermione too much lately."

"Could I have helped it?" Fred looked so pitiful. "With everything that'd happened?"

"Well, alright, you've got a point," George said. "But I say we take your mind off Hermione for a while."

"How?"

A playful smile played on George's lips.

"Well, we haven't played any pranks in a while."

Friday came quickly, and Hermione was pleased. Let's just say she needed a break from everything that had happened. Her mind was stressed enough with all her issues, that she was glad to have some time off from lessons. She didn't want to deal with them and homework, along with all her worries.

Many times she had been scared that Ron had somehow found out about her and Fred. But never had he shown any indication that he knew. Fred and Hermione had put the suggestion into action, behaving like normal friends. It wasn't easy to pretend nothing had happened, but Hermione tried her hardest, and found it wasn't too hard, either. Except for George, who Hermione assumed know about it, nobody had seemed to notice the changes or difference.

At about 8 o'clock, Hermione hurried back to the Gryffindor tower from the library, where she had just been, getting some books that she thought she needed for a good read tomorrow. She nearly slammed into someone as she rounded the corner.

"Hello, Granger."

Fred had came into her mind, but that thought was shooed away at that comment. Not so much the sentence-Fred could call her Granger if he wanted to- but the tone that it was said in, and the smirk that she could hear in it.

"Funny, Malfoy, you've never been that polite to me before."

"Yes, well, I regret that," Malfoy drawled. "I forgot my teachings for a moment."

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione snapped, wanting to get back to the warmth of the common room.

"Nothing, just talk."

"Well, then, go talk with someone else," Hermione said, already walking away. "I'm not interested in talking to you."

"Tell me, you're dating the Weasel, yes?" Malfoy followed her, keeping a step behind her.

"I don't believe that's any of your business," Hermione said, still walking, not looking the the Slytherin bastard.

"It is if I saw you snogging his brother the other night."

Hermione stopped abruptly and whipped around to face Malfoy again.

"What?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I saw you snogging one of the twin Weasels on Tuesday night." he stated again, smirking.

Hermione walked forwards slowly, and Malfoy backed away calmly. Is he really telling the truth? Does he really know?

"You could be lying."

"I'm not." He pulled out a photo that was magicked in the magical way that allowed its contents to move. Hermione glanced at it, and saw in it herself kissing Fred.

She moved her gaze back onto Malfoy.

"Don't you dare tell anybody about it."

"You know us Slytherin's aren't like that, my dear Granger," Malfoy drawled. "If you give me what I want, then I'll give you what you want."

"And what might the Slytherin prince want in exchange for this petty favour?"

Malfoy's hand travelled the short gap between their bodies, and landed on her waist. "Only a good time."

Hermione whipped her wand out in a millisecond, pointed it just below his chin, like she had two years ago, backing him up against a wall.

Malfoy smirked. "Your wand doesn't scare me anymore, Granger."

"Oh?" Hermione feigned innocence. "Would one of my punches suffice then?"

"Your punches don't scare me, either, Granger."

"I can do a lot worse to you than just punches, Malfoy," Hermione hissed out menacingly.

"Oh really?" Ugh! That irritating smirk!

"Look," Hermione walked closer to him, until their faces were inches apart. "If you so much as _hiss_ a word of this to _anyone_, like you slippery, slithering, Slytherin snakes can do," she said slowly, grounding each word out, "you can be sure, that that slut, Pansy Parkinson, won't _ever _be able to enjoy any sort of pleasures from your Highness, the Slytherin Sex God, anymore. Is that understood?"

"Not when you're standing that close to me." His hand landed on her waist again.

Hermione smacked his hand away. She jerked her wand up, pressing the point into his chin.

"Is. That. Clear?"

"As crystal." He's still smirking.

"Good." She smacked her wand across his face. Then she walked away, outside fierce, inside terrified.

"You sure you don't want to go, Hermione?"

The next Saturday came as a big relief to Hermione. It was the 5th of October, a week later and 2 weeks and 2 days after her birthday, She had been looking forward to a hassle-free Saturday, with all the students third-year and above going to Hogsmeade, which she had declined. She had been desperate for a peaceful day to relax, what with all the things that had happened.

"Yes," Hermione answered, watching Ron stuff his mouth with breakfast again. "Ron! Eat properly, would you?"

"What?" Ron mumbled through a mouth of food. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Listen to your girlfriend, Ron," George advised, sliding into the seat next to his brother. Fred followed him, and Hermione wasn't surprised to see he wasn't showing the least bit of discomfort at George's comment. She was pleased. Fred had been better at behaving like friends than she thought. So had she, herself.

"Are you guys going to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked the twins.

"No," Fred answered. "We thought we'd have a day in like Hermione."

Harry and Hermione raised their eyebrows simultaneously (Ron still too busy eating to notice). Fred and George, having a day in? Did they hear right?

"Really?"

"Yeah," George said.

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, then shrugged.

"Alright, then," Hermione said. "What are you guys doing for the day, then?"

Here, Fred and George exchanged a mischievous look that only Hermione seemed to notice. Something was going on.

"Just some stuff we had planned." Something is definitely going on.

"Right."

After breakfast, Ron and Harry and the rest of the student body who wanted to go (and was allowed to, of course) filed out of the great oak doors, and went to Hogsmeade. Hermione decided to go to the library. She spent a few good hours there, reading 'Hogwarts, A History', and by the end, she felt very relaxed. The day had helped her to take her mind off things. For a while.

She was still scared that Malfoy was going to show that photo he had to Ron. She couldn't believe he had obtained such a thing. She was surprised he was even there to witness her kiss at all. He could have been wandering the halls (which, due to his Prefect status, is unfortunately permissible), but that had happened near the Gryffindor tower, and Hermione could think of no reasons as to why he would be near there. And he had seen the kiss...oh, no. Now the purity of the kiss had been stained. Not that it was ever rightful, but the good feeling of it had changed.

And the photo. If that was to make its way to Ron, everything would explode. Particularly Ron's temper. Hopefully, she had scared Malfoy enough to keep that photo at bay. but he was still smirking as she walked away; maybe he wasn't all that scared. The only other way to convince him would be doing as he said. Hermione shuddered at the thought of it. As if she would ever have sex with Draco Malfoy. Never in a million years.

Hermione decided to take it out of her mind. It was time for lunch already. She walked down to the Great Hall, her book in hand.

After her lunch, she decided to have a little walk in the grounds.

"Done?" George asked.

"Done," Fred answered.

"Okay, let's go." George said, and proceed to turn away from watching the front doors and crawling into the short cut behind a tapestry on the wall right next to the entrance to the Great Hall.

Fred turned around, about to follow his brother, when someone bumped into him.

"Fred," Hermione exclaimed, backing up. She looked up at him and smiled; even though he was shorter than Ron, he was still few inches taller than her.

For some reason, he could not stop looking. Neither did she. They just kept looking at each other, into each other's eyes. He was being sucked into her deep chocolate cauldrons, and nothing felt better. He had tried his hardest to be friends, so he did not know why this was happening. But he didn't try to stop it.

"I...I should go," Hermione said, still looking at him. "I was going for a walk in the grounds."

"You...don't want to go through the doors right now," Fred said. Their eye contact still hadn't broken.

Right then, there was a shriek coming from the great oak doors. Finally, they stopped looking at each other, and looked towards the doors. There was Professor Sprout, standing right underneath the arch, her face full of bright purple flowers.

They could hardly stifle their laughter.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked through her giggles.

"Just a little charm," Fred answered, smirking proudly at his work.

"Weasley! Granger!" Professor Sprout's voice came.

"Oh no," Hermione murmured worriedly, her giggles dissipating instantly.

They watched in horror as Professor Sprout flounced over.

"Granger! I never would have expected this of you!" she exclaimed. "Weasley, maybe...well, actually, definitely, but not you. You are a model student!"

Well, it was slightly obvious. They were the only ones in the hall, and the way they were giggling in a corner was a dead giveaway.

"Professor, I..." Hermione started, but was cut off by the infuriated teacher.

"Don't start," the Professor said, putting up a hand. "You must think this very funny, don't you, a Herbology professor with flowers all over her face? Well, I can assure you it is not."

"Professor, she didn't..." Fred tried, but was also cut off.

"I don't want to hear it," she said. "Detention, both of you! I am going to report this to Professor McGonagall."

With that, she flounced away.

Hermione groaned.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Fred apologised. He felt bad for getting her in trouble.

"No, it's alright." The distressed expression on her face said otherwise.

"No, really, I am sorry," Fred said.

"No, no, it's alright," Hermione waved it away. "And I have to admit, it was worth seeing purple flowers sprout all over the Herbology professor's face."

"Good point," Fred laughed.

"Well, I should go," Hermione said. "I assume it is safe to travel through the doors now?"

"Yes, it only happens to the first person to walk through," Fred explained.

"Then how would be humiliating? No one was here."

"Well, we've made sure it doesn't go away for a few days," Fred smirked. Hermione laughed.

"Alright, then," Hermione said. "Well, see you at detention." She was smiling, so Fred assumed she was okay with it. Which is strange, seeing as she was Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger does not simply feel okay with detention.

"I'm sorry, again, about the detention," Fred said. "You must be very upset."

"Well, I am a little bit," Hermione admitted. "But it's alright."

"Okay," Fred said, not knowing what else to say.

"Alright, see ya," Hermione said, walking away to the grounds. Fred was relieved to see that no flowers sprouted onto her face. He had a feeling the consequences wouldn't be pretty if they did.

He crawled into the tunnel behind the tapestry, where he found George sitting, leaning against the wall, waiting for him.

"So what was that about?" George asked, when the tapestry was back in its place.

"Well, this prank was planned for me to get my mind off her," Fred said, "but now instead, all I've got is more time alone with her."

"Oh, yeah, detention."

"Yup."

"Can't believe she's alright with it."

"Me neither."

"But there's no guarantee that you'll be serving detention together."

"No guarantee, but a very likely chance."

"True."

"What do I do?"

"I don't know."

Fred didn't know, either.

* * *

**A/N: I know the "next Saturday" bit was a bit confusing. I also know that the Hogsmeade weekend was supposed to happen the week before. It was originally the week before, with everything that happens in that Saturday happening the week before, but I had to move it down to give some time in between everything. So yeah.**

**On a completely different note, can anyone give me any suggestions on 1950's dressed/skirts? Only I need to dress up to the theme of 1950's fashion for a special day at my school on the 6th of September, and it is now the 12th of August where I am. Soooo...help? Please? Get pictures of good dressed, if you can. Wait, can you put pictures in reviews? Or you could send them to me, or email me.**

**Reviews are HP inspired clothes, like the one Disney makes, with Hermione and Ron and Harry and Dobby and Dumbledore and Hedwig and more as inspiration. I love those.**

**See ya!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Haii! Sorry this took so long, but I was doing the forty-hour famine, giving up reading (how 'bout a little donation? :D) and my friends insisted I wasn't allowed to write, so yeah.**

**50 followers! Whoo! Thanks guys! I wish i could thank you guys for the reviews, but... :( only 1 review for the whole week. Such a bad difference from chapter 1. There was, like, 5 reviews in one day. Please review. Pretty please? :3**

**So anyways, here's the chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER 8

"Hey, 'Mione," Ron said as he sauntered towards Hermione, who was reading 'Numerology and Gramatica' in a lonely, solitary corner of the library on Sunday afternoon.

Hermione looked up, and smiled at him. Ron dropped himself down next to Hermione on the armchair. He draped an arm around Hermione's shoulder. He then took a hand and placed it on Hermione's cheek, still smiling, and Hermione understood his intention for coming here. Ron brought his lips to hers. Hermione kissed him back, trying to melt into the kiss, to let it sweep her away, to pour passion into it, like she had tried every time Ron had kissed her lately. Ron had kissed her plenty of times in the past week, but no matter how hard she tried, Hermione could never do those things.

Hermione pulled away. Ron seemed surprised but didn't try to push it.

"'Mione?"

"Sorry, I-"

Hermione fell silent, screwing her eyebrows up in thought. She couldn't keep on going like this. She knew she didn't like Ron anymore, all her feelings are completely gone now. She had only been hanging in hope her feelings come back, and to not hurt Ron. She couldn't do it anymore. That along the guilt over cheating on him with Fred was enough to put her off the idea of kissing Ron.

Her mind had been less focused on Fred lately, but sometimes, it still came. Sometimes, it was hard to keep up the friends facade, to push away the feelings that came when she saw him or talked to him, but she had been able to drive them away. Especially after what had happen yesterday, that little stare-off that they had. Nothing had changed, they had slipped back into their roles with ease as soon as the crowd going to Hogsmeade was back, but that was strange. And the detention tomorrow, that they would doubtlessly be having together. She can't guarantee that nothing will happen. Still, it would be easier for her conscience (even if nothing will happen, and she was determined nothing will), if she was free.

"Ron, I-I want to break up."

"Wh..what?"

"I want to break up."

Ron looked shocked.

"Why? I thought we were going good."

"I know, but...it's not you, it's me," Hermione explained. "I-I don't like you anymore. I did like you, once, but when you asked, my feelings were fading, and now they're gone, and I was holding on in case they come again, and because I didn't want to hurt you, but I can't do it anymore," Hermione rushed everything out.

Ron didn't say anything, only stared at her in shock.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said.

"It's alright," Ron said, sounding passive. "If you're sure."

He stood up and left the library.

Hermione buried her face in her hands. Did she do the right thing? She had said everything honestly, except leaving out the part about Fred and her, but then that wouldn't help. But would Ron still want to be her friend? Would things be awkward between them now? What would happen if Ron finds out about Fred and her? What if Malfoy prattled?

Hermione decided that reading 'Hogwarts, A History' (that book is amazing) would be easier than dealing with all the questions in her mind right now.

* * *

By breakfast the next day, everyone had heard about Ron and Hermione's break-up.

"Hey, guys," Lavender Brown's shrill voice pounded in Fred's eardrums. Fred allowed himself to make a small grimace, then remove it from his face as he turned to the fifth-year. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" George asked.

"Ron and Hermione broke up," Parvati Patil, standing next to her best friend, announced with an important air, as if she was a reporter for the Daily Prophet who had exclusive information that only she knew.

Fred and George glanced at each other, eyebrows raised. _Why do I feel de-ja vu? _Fred thought.

"Really?" he said to the two girls.

"Yes," Lavender confirmed. "Yesterday afternoon, in the library."

"How do you guys know these things?" George asked exasperatedly. "Do you know why?"

"I think it was something about how she didn't like him anymore," Lavender said, with the same air her friend had announcing the break-up.

Fred's eyebrows furrowed, his mind whirring, not altogether focused as George sent the two gossip queens away. She didn't like Ron anymore? Why? Because she liked someone else? Because she liked him?

She had admitted it, that night, before she engulfed him in her kiss. But almost a week has passed, and they had been friends. Or pretended to be, anyway. It wasn't too long a while, so maybe her feelings hadn't gone yet, but most likely with all the friends pretence, her feelings for him will go away.

But does that explain why she stopped liking Ron? No, not really.

Fred walked vacantly with George to Transfiguration, not paying attention as Professor McGonagall rambled on about complex human transfigurations.

What about his feelings for her? His mind had rarely been on her since last Thursday, being so preoccupied with planning their prank. They had been so busy, searching through old issues of 'Challenges in Charming' for that spell that they used on the front doors, that his mind had barely had time to focus on Hermione. George was right, the prank did take his mind off Hermione. But did it take his feelings away?

"Fred," George whispered to him, nudging him lightly. Fred registered that it was the end of the lesson. "McGonagall wants to speak to you."

"Oh," Fred said, realising that the teacher had been calling him for quite some time. He walked up to her desk as the other students went out of the classroom, and George waited outside the door.

"I wish I could say I'm surprised at your behaviour, but I can't," she said. "But what I am surprised at is how you managed to drag Miss Granger into this."

"Professor, I swear she didn't do it," Fred tried convincing her. "She was just walking past and Professor Sprout assumed she was in on it."

"I wish I can believe you," the lady sighed, "but I can't. You have too much of a record, and Miss Granger has too much of a flawless one, for me to believe you are not covering up for her."

"But, Professor..."

"I don't want to hear anymore of it," she said, finalising the conversation. "Yours and Miss Granger's detention will be tonight at 8 o'clock. Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall."

"Yes, Professor."

Fred slumped out of the room, feeling worse than ever.

* * *

"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall's voice flew across the classroom, as the students filed out the door, sounding clipped and displeasured. "I would like to speak to you."

Hermione grimaced. This would no doubt be about her detention, and it couldn't be good. She walked up to her Head of House's desk, making up her mind as she went. She would explain the situation to Professor McGonagall, to clear her name. She couldn't have a detention staining her immaculate record. She stopped at the front of the desk.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Miss Granger," she said. "I cannot believe you would actually play a prank. I am not surprised at Mr Weasley, all shock had gone a week into his first year. But you..." she trailed off.

"Professor McGonagall, please," Hermione started, "I didn't..."

"Miss Granger, please do not deny it, it would only make things worse."

"But I really didn't do it, Professor," Hermione protested. "I was only there when Professor Sprout walked through the door."

"And why might you be there at that exact time?"

"I was going to go into the grounds for a walk," Hermione explained. "Then I bumped into Fred and I got held up for a moment, and then Professor Sprout walked through the doors."

Professor McGonagall turned silent for a moment, watching her.

"As much as I would like to believe you, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall then said, "I have to say that is a feeble excuse. I am as shocked as anyone about your behaviour."

Hermione fell silent. It was clear now that nothing she said would convince Professor McGonagall that she was innocent.

"Your detention shall take place tonight at 8 o'clock. You will be serving it with Mr Weasley. Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall," Professor McGonagall said. "You may go."

Hermione turned and walked out of the classroom, feeling miserable, because of her detention, and anxious, for some reason she didn't know.

* * *

"Oh, it's nearly eight," Hermione groaned, getting up from her chair, at the table, on which she had been working on her homework in the common room. "I have to go to detention," she announced to Ron and Harry. They have both surprisingly taken the break-up well, especially Ron, and Hermione was glad that Ron was still being friendly.

"So have I," Fred, who was sitting nearby with George, doing _his _homework for once, stood up.

"Together?" Ron asked, eyebrows raising.

"Yep, she got found at the crime scene, along with me and no one else," Fred said. When the other two were silent, he added impatiently, "Oh God, you guys, we were just talking." They weren't just talking, of course, but Harry and Ron didn't need to know that. "George had already fled from the crime scene, leaving me to do deal with all this," Fred continued.

Harry and Ron shrugged. Fred and Hermione walked out of the common room together. As soon as people can't see them, Fred dropped the friends facade, stopped talking to Hermione, which greatly surprised her. She didn't think they were still pretending. It's been nearly two weeks, she thought they had actually become friends. She sneaked furtive glances at him as they walked down to the Entrance Hall. His face was impassive, but she could tell he was thinking. She didn't ask him what he was thinking about. After a while, she stopped trying to peek at him.

When she stopped, he started.

Fred was being troubled by his thoughts from the morning again. Ron and Hermione had broken up, yet they seem to be taking it just fine. Was this a ruse? Was she really trying to get together with him? It can't be. Hermione would never do that.

But is he hoping she will? He didn't think so.

They arrived at the Entrance Hall, to find Filch already there, his ever-lasting grumpy mood on his face.

"You two will be cleaning that broom cupboard over there," he commanded. "Without magic. Tell me once you're done. I'll be in my office."** (A/N: I'm making up a caretaker's office.)**

He slumped off. Fred took one glance at the broom cupboard and felt nervous. It was tiny. There was just enough room for two people to fit. He would have to avoid that at all costs. He couldn't trust himself to be that close to her, feelings or not. He glanced at Hermione and could tell from her nervous expression that she was thinking along the same lines. Good.

They begun working, hauling equipment out of a cleaning cupboard nearby. Well, not so nearby, it was quite a way, which annoyed and tired both of them. Hermione swept the floor of the cupboard and the shelves, while Fred mixed up a mixture of Madame Glossy's Cleaning Mix For All Surfaces outside. Then Hermione tried to clean the dusty, unused brooms somewhat while Fred wiped down the shelves 'till they were sparkling clean. All the while, they didn't talk, each deep in their thoughts.

As he helped Hermione clean out the brooms, Fred couldn't stop himself anymore. The question had been bugging him all day, he had to ask her.

"Hermione?" he said.

Hermione, startled to hear him talking to her, said surprisedly, "Yes?"

"You broke up with Ron, right?" Fred started uncertainly.

"Yeah," Hermione looked down guiltily.

"Why?"

"I...I just don't like him anymore, I guess," Hermione said. "My feelings have been going since he asked me out." She sighed. "I feel so bad."

At least she felt bad. That means she didn't dump Ron because of...what?

"Does that mean you like someone else?"

Hermione lifted her gaze to his, and looked intently into his eyes. For a few seconds, she just looked at him, and Fred had a feeling that she knew what he was talking about.

"I don't know," she said, slowly.

"So you didn't dump Ron so-so that-someone else would ask you out?"

"What?" Hermione's eyes widen. "No! I would never do that. You know I wouldn't."

Fred nodded, breathing a silent sigh of relief. He knew Hermione wouldn't do that, he just had to make sure.

So at the end of the detention, after they've been dismissed grudgingly by the ever-grouchy Filch, Fred walked back to the Gryffindor tower with Hermione. This time, their conversation flowed easily and abundantly. Their friendship was back.

* * *

**A/N: I think that was a bit short. But it was still around 2 thousand words. So yeah. Well, I hoped you liked it.**

**Leave a review? Please? I'm desperate.**

**See ya!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Heeyy! This took a bit long, didn't it? Sorry, I was re-reading it and editing it until I thought it was perfect. Because last week I got a review saying Chapter 8 was good but not brilliant-which I am sorry for, I guess I lost my vibe for a while-so I've tried to make the coming chapters as good as possible. So there.**

**On another note...20,000 words! Yaaayyy! I'm so happy.**

**So here's chapter 9. Hope you enjoy it! How about a review? *makes a really bad puppy dog face because I've never been good at making puppy dog faces***

* * *

CHAPTER 9

This week was going better than Hermione expected. She was finally beginning to enjoy classes again, harsh as they were with OWL's coming up, Ron and Harry are still her friends after her breaking up with Ron, and her relationship with Fred had retreated back to where it was before the school year started. They were friends.

And she was happy with that.

Wasn't she?

Yes, she was.

Was he?

He seemed to be, if yesterday was any indication. He had asked her whether she broke up with Ron so that someone else could ask her out. Surely he meant whether she wanted _him _to ask her out. When she said no, he had looked so relieved. He must have felt bad, being the good brother that he is, and wanted to make sure she wasn't hurting Ron. She wouldn't hurt Ron, never in a million years. Ron was her friend, and she'd hurt him when Snape washes his hair. And Fred, always the diligent protective brother, wanted to make sure of that.

And his question before that. "Did you dump Ron because your feelings for him had been replaced by feelings for someone else?" he had, practically, asked. Or, more accurately, "Did you dump Ron because your feelings for him had been replaced by feelings for _me_?"

And her answer had been honest; she didn't know. Maybe her feelings for Ron faded because her feelings for Fred had been developing, that was a potential reason. But does she still like Fred? That she didn't know. After nearly two weeks of pretending to be friends, and a day, because it was now Tuesday night, of actually being friends, she didn't know if her feelings for Fred are going. She was more focused on her schoolwork and studies now, instead of Fred, so that was a possibility. Maybe she has stopped liking Fred. Or at least, she has started to stop liking Fred.

That was a good sign. Everything that had happened between them would only be...a lapse. A temporary, passing crush on both sides that led to mistakes. That's all it would be. And it would be forgotten. Fred had acted in a way that told her he, like her, had stopped-or have started to stop-liking her as well, so it would not bother him, either. Both of them will pretend that it had never happened; it would be best for everyone. Ron did not need to know.

With that uplifting knowledge, Hermione set out for her twice-weekly Prefect patrol. She recalled the happenings on the Tuesday night two weeks ago. So much had happened since then. She wondered if she should tell Fred about her idea, about how they should just forget everything, but she decided he would have the same idea already.

She rounded a corner on the second floor, her mind still reeling with thoughts. What about Malfoy? Over a week has passed, and he's still not spoken. Maybe she had scared him...

"Hello, Granger," a voice drawled.

Speak of the devil!

And he _is _a devil. Or the Devil's spawn at least.

"Malfoy," Hermione said with gritted teeth. She turned around to find him leaning against a wall, that irritating smirk still on his face. Does he ever take it off? "What are you doing up here? Why aren't you in your dungeons?"

"I merely wanted to...discuss, our...negotiation," Malfoy said calmly.

"Negotiation?" More like his blackmailing of her. "As you may recall, Malfoy, I did not agree to our 'negotiation'," Hermione said. "And I haven't changed my mind."

"Oh, come on, Granger," Malfoy said, standing up straight and walking towards her. Hermione held her stance. "I've kept the secret for over a week now. Surely it's time for a little reward."

"So you didn't keep the secret because you were scared?" Hermione challenged.

"You don't scare me, Granger."

"Oh, really? Because I do mean what I said," Hermione took a small step back. Malfoy was getting closer to her than she was comfortable with. "If you breath a word to anyone, I will hex your balls off. More than just your balls."

Malfoy laughed, still walking slowly towards her. Hermione found herself walking backwards now, slightly wary.

"Like I said, you don't scare me," he said, his voice becoming malicious. Hermione found herself against the wall, with nowhere else to go. Malfoy was coming even closer. "And if you won't give me what I want, maybe I'll just have to take it from you."

He put both hands at the side of her head, boxing her in. He was way too close now. There was barely six inches between them.

"Malfoy," Hermione said, wanting her voice to be warning and firm, but it came out shaky and scared. She was scared.

"It's your fault, Granger," Malfoy whispered. "If you had only agreed, I wouldn't have to do this."

"Malfoy!" Hermione tried to push him away, but he was too strong, and didn't budge. "Get away from me!" She was very scared now.

Then Malfoy abruptly placed both his hands firmly onto her shoulders, pinning her to the wall. He pushed his lips harshly against hers and pressed her body to the wall. Hermione tried to protest, wriggling and thrashing but he was pressed to tightly to her for her to do anything. Malfoy chuckled, then buried his face in her neck. But the sensation didn't make her go shaky with pleasure like Fred did, it only alarmed and frightened her. Hermione let out a shriek, trying again desperately to hurt him somehow so that he would get away. She managed to stamp on his foot.

Malfoy let out a low growl, impatient with her now. His hands traveled down her body and stopped at her waist. They slipped under her shirt, and made their way up her body again. Hermione let out another shriek, and tried to slap his hands, but this only angered Malfoy even more. She felt the sharp slap against her cheek.

"OI!"

A hand appeared, landing on Malfoy's shoulder, and pulling him away from Hermione. Hermione relaxed, slumping against the wall, and watched the commotion. Malfoy was punching the guy, so she didn't get to see his face. Then Malfoy turned to her and growled, "You'll pay for this, Granger." Then he stalked away.

"Are you alright?" her rescuer asked.

Hermione turned to him.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just...Just scared," she answered.

"That bastard," he said, massaging his face where Malfoy had punched him.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked. "I'm sorry, you didn't need to do that."

"No, it's alright, I was walking along one of the corridors, and I thought I heard someone scream, so I came to see what that was about," he explained. "I'm alright."

"You should go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said. "She'll be able to fix it in a second."

"Yeah, think I will, tomorrow," he agreed. "Do you want me to tell someone about...what he did?"

"No, please don't," Hermione said quickly. "It'll lead to...awkward conversation..."

"Right."

"Well, I think I'll go back to the common room now," Hermione said.

"Yeah, me too," he said. "See you around."

"See you," Hermione said, then added, "And thank you, Anthony."

"No problem," Anthony Goldstein said, before walking away towards the Ravenclaw tower.

Malfoy said she'd pay, and she did.

* * *

The next morning, a school owl came to Ron as he was, as usual, stuffing his face with breakfast. Ron seemed surprised, but opened the envelope and read the letter inside anyway.

"Who's that from?" Hermione, who was sitting next to him at the table, asked.

Ron shrugged. His eyebrows creased as he took a look at something that accompanied the letter. Then his expression turned ashen and angry, and his ears went red.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron turned to her, glaring. Then he slammed the contents of the envelope onto the table, stood up and walked away. Hermione was confused. She picked up the small piece of paper on the table, and looked. Then she understood.

That bastard Malfoy.

Hermione stood up quickly, racing after Ron.

"Ron! Ron!"

Ron didn't stop or turn around. He just kept walking, out of the hall. Hermione followed him up the marble stairs and down a corridor.

"Ron! Are you really going to believe what Malfoy says?"

Ron stopped and turned around. His expression scared Hermione; he looked furious.

"Don't try to deny it, Hermione!" he shouted. "The evidence is all there!"

Hermione screwed her eyebrows together. Oh, Merlin. That was stupid, she shouldn't have said that. She only said to make him stop. She didn't know what else to do, so she blurted it out. Oh, Merlin.

"Oh, alright, I won't deny it," she said. "I kissed Fred. I'm sorry, it wasn't meant to happen...I..."

"Really?! Because it really doesn't look like you were THROWING yourself at him in that photo, does it?!" Ron shouted. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ron cut her off. "You couldn't even think to tell me about it when we broke up, could you?! Is that why you broke up with me? So you could continue snogging my brother?! Is that what you guys did, at that detention on Monday night?! Sucking each other's faces off al night?!"

Hermione couldn't take it anymore.

"No, Ron! NO!" she shouted back. "I did NOT break up with you so I could continue kissing Fred! And for your information, we haven't kissed at ALL since that damned photo was taken!"

She stopped her mini rant. Ron stayed silent, still fuming. Hermione caught her breath and started explaining.

"Yes, I broke up with you because I was feeling guilty about that, but what I said was true. I don't like you anymore. By the time you asked, my feelings were gone. I would have told you about it, but I was scared that you were going to take it like this. Fred and I, we haven't kissed at all since that night. The day after, Fred and I agreed to be friends, because we didn't want to hurt you, and we were scared that you would be like this."

"I have every right to be like this! My ex-girlfriend was kissing my brother while we were dating!"

"Ron, I'm sorry..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Ron cut her off again. "Slut," he spat out like it was poison. The poison stung.

Hermione's mouth fell open. He did not just say that. That was the worst thing he could have called her. He could have called her a million things and this would still be worse. Her eyes were full of shock, then changing to hurt. Then, they closed off, filling up with anger. She closed her mouth.

"Fine," Hermione said. "Fine."

Then she turned and walked away.

* * *

For over a month, Ron didn't talk to her. Hermione, still stung at his comment, didn't say anything either. She spent her time studying in the library, avoiding Ron, and being normal to everyone else. Harry and Ginny were angry at her for a time, but eventually forgave her. which majorly surprised and gratified her, and for which she was grateful. She stayed friends with Fred, despite news reaching the whole school of their relationship. Hermione and Fred both ignored them, being as friendly as ever to each other. The school didn't have much time to ponder over their situation, anyway. They soon got distracted by something else.

Three weeks after Hermione's fight with Ron, at the Halloween feast, Dumbledore made an announcement.

"As you all know," Dumbledore said, "we had a spectacular Yule Ball last year, with the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students who were here to witness the Triwizard Tournament."

Hermione could see where this was going, and she didn't like it.

"And so, because last year was _such_ fun, I've decided to have a Christmas Ball this year, too." Dumbledore announced. "The Ball will be on Christmas Eve, and everyone is welcome, though not obliged, to come."

Hermione wasn't coming, that's for sure. No one would ask her anyway, with the state of her relationships currently. So she pushed that thought away, and resumed her normal habits. Studying.

The rest of the school had different ideas. While Hermione focused on her studying, the castle was in near chaos. Decorations were going up, in the Great Hall, the Entrance Hall, the corridors, everywhere. In dormitories, panicked girls were owling their families to send their favourite dress to the castle quickly, so that they were in time for the Ball. And then there were the boys, trying to pluck up the courage to ask a girl to go as their date. Of course, some didn't need to, but some just had a little less self-esteem than others.

Hermione assumed no one would ask her. Being the smartest witch of her age, she was right about most things. But she was wrong about that.

* * *

**A/N: I tricked you, didn't I? ;) admit it. you thought Fred would save Hermione. ehehehe. someone else has entered the scene.**

**Bit of cliffy there. You get to find out who asks Hermione to the ball next chapter ;) who do you think it will be?**

**So, there! I really hoped you've enjoyed it and that it was better than last time. I'm not too sure about the *cough cough* raping...bit (I'm so immature), because I've never written anything more intimate than a kiss. sooo...yeah...and the fighting bit, to. I hope that was alright.**

**Well, then, now that you've read it! You've been hypnotised...there's a box at the bottom of this page...you just have to type a little something...anything...that is relevant to the quality and/or performance of this chapter...then hit the button on the bottom of it...the one that says...post review...thanks :D**

**Bye!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so SORRY! I haven't updated in so long. I feel so bad and guilty. I'm so sorry. It's just this took so long to get out. My excuses are; 1. so much homework -.- i swear, term 1 and 2 are fine, but term 3 comes and KA-BOOOM, homework bomb explodes!; and 2. i haven't imagined this chapter out like I did the other chapters. That made it harder for me to write it down. So I'm sorry.**

**On a happier note, new longest chapter! Whoo! Around 3,200 words! Beats chapter 2, which was 2,900, I think. I was going to end it halfway through, but there were some stuff I wanted to include, and I wanted to dedicate a whole chapter to the Ball, so those things would have to be on a chapter of their own if I left them out, and then that chapter would be too short. So I decided to just stuff them in here. And out comes a whopping 3,200 words! :P**

**So anyway, here you go! Enjoy! and review!**

* * *

CHAPTER 10

A week after Dumbledore's announcement of the Christmas Ball, Hermione found out that maybe not everyone is repulsed by her after all.

"Hey, Hermione," a voice said as Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table Friday morning, eating breakfast.

Hermione and Ginny, who was sitting next to her, looked up behind her. So did Harry and, subsequently, Ron, who was sitting about 10 metres away (Hermione had no idea how they managed to hear). Anthony Goldstein was standing there, smiling down at her. Hermione realised he was smiling because she, strangely, was stuffing her mouth with food.

She blushed, and tried to chew her food quickly and swallow it down. She managed to do so without choking, but got a pain in her throat and chest as the lump traveled down her oesophagus.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "Hi."

"Yeah, hi," Anthony said, still smiling somewhat like he's enjoying her fumbling. Hermione blushed even more. "Um, I just wanted to ask you something?"

"Sure," Hermione said, intrigued and puzzled, as Ravenclaw's rarely needed help, and she and Anthony didn't have that many classes together anyway.

"I was wondering if you would go to the Christmas Ball with me," Anthony said, very much to Hermione's surprise.

"Oh!"

Hermione didn't really know what to say. Of course, the polite thing to do would be to accept the offer. It didn't seem like a bad idea, actually. Anthony was a perfectly charming guy, who, after everything that had happened, still has enough respect and somewhat of an attraction, dare she say, for her to ask her to the Ball. Why else would he ask, if he wasn't the least bit interested? It could be a dare of some sort, a wary voice at the back of Hermione's brain whispered, or a prank or trick or joke. But the hopeful smile that was gracing his attractive features seemed to sincere for it to be a prank. It couldn't be; he was asking her genuinely.

"Sure," Hermione grinned. It was nice to feel liked instead of hated and talked about for about the first time in a month. Anthony's smile widened, and Hermione was sure it wasn't a joke.

"Brilliant! I can't wait," he said. He picked up her hand from where it was lying next to her plate on the table and kissed it at her knuckles. Hermione blushed, but couldn't stop feeling very pleased. "See you around the school."

He walked back to the Ravenclaw table, both of them with bright smiles on their faces.

"Oooohh!" Ginny nudged her gently, a playful smirk on her face. Hermione rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't disappear. "Someone got asked to the Ball," she sang. Ginny wasn't jealous because Dean Thomas had asked her to go with him just yesterday. She had graciously agreed.

"Whatever, Ginny," Hermione said.

"All the boys will be so jealous of Anthony," Ginny announced, without the slightest hint of doubt in her words. "He gets to go to the Ball with the beautiful Hermione Granger!" She giggled. Once again, Ginny was being more excited about Hermione's events than Hermione was about it herself. Although, Hermione was excited, she just didn't show it on the outside that much.

"Ooh!" Ginny exclaimed suddenly. "Have you got a dress?" She asked concernedly.

"Oh, God, no!" Hermione cried softly. What was she going to do?

"You have to buy one soon!" Ginny exclaimed. "The Ball is only a month and a half away!"

"Can't I wear the one I wore last year?"

"Merlin, no!" Ginny said. "That's social suicide! You can_not _go to the Ball wearing last year's dress. Lavender and Parvati will never shut up about it afterward, and I'd like to keep my hearing intact until I'm at least sixty, thanks."

Hermione chuckled. Ginny was right. She couldn't wear the periwinkle dress she wore last year, even though it was very beautiful. Lavender and Parvati _would _freak. Not only that, that dress was-is-associated with Viktor Krum, despite the wonderful semi-relationship they had, and her fight last year with Ron, which she really didn't need to be reminded of right now. She would need a new dress.

"How am I going to get a new dress though?" she asked worriedly.

"Well, the closest shop is Gladrags Wizardwear at Hogsmeade." Ginny replied, sounding like general stating his war plan. "I saw some pretty good dresses the last time I went. There's a Hogsmeade day next weekend."

"Perfect," Hermione said. "We'll go next weekend."

Last week she had been sceptical about the Ball, not wanting to go at all. But now, she couldn't wait.

* * *

Fred and George emerged from Zonko's, laden down with joke-things and knick-knacks. They had been running low lately. Their bags were now bursting with Dungbombs, Fanged Frisbees, Frog Spawn Soap's, Instant Peruvian Darkness Powder and other trinkets as they walked up Main Street.

Fred suddenly spotted a pair of familiar figures up in the distance. He was pretty sure one had flaming red hair, and the other a massive nest of messy curly ones.

"Hey, George?" he said to his twin. "Isn't that...Ginny and Hermione?"

George craned his neck to look at the two figured walking in their direction down Main Street.

"I think it is," George replied. "What are they doing," he continued interestedly, as their sister and friend turned and walked through the front door of Gladrags Wizardwear, "going into Gladrags?"

"Sounds like something we need to find out," Fred said with a mischievous grin.

George pointed a finger at him. "And that's why we're twins."

The two hurried up Main Street and walked into Gladrags Wizardwear, the only wizarding clothes shop in Hogsmeade. They looked around the shop to search for Hermione and Ginny, and found them in the party dresses section.

"So, what brings you two," Fred asked loudly to catch their attention as he and George walked down the aisle between racks of dresses, "to a clothing shop?"

"And the party dresses section of said shop?" George continued, as the two girls looked up in surprise at them.

"Hermione here needs a dress," Ginny answered.

"For..." George said.

"The Christmas Ball," Ginny finished.

"Who asked you?" Fred asked Hermione.

"Anthony Goldstein," she replied with a small smile.

Fred raised his eyebrow simultaneously with his twin, ignoring the fleeting hollow feeling that passed in his stomach.

"I'm surprised he, of all people, has asked you to the Ball," George said.

Hermione frowned. "Why can't he?"

George shrugged. "He never showed an interest in you."

Hermione considered this, then said, "Fair enough."

"I'm surprised we didn't find this out from Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil earlier," Fred said. George laughed while Ginny and Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Well, we found out about your agreeing to be Ron's girlfriend from them," he answered their puzzlement, "and also about your break-up with Ron..."

"So now that your dating again, we're surprised those two gossip queens haven't babbled our ears out already," George finished. Hermione and Ginny laughed. Fred smiled. He didn't know why it felt so good to make Hermione laugh.

"So do you need any help?" George asked.

"Help with what?" Ginny said, while looking through some dresses on the racks.

"With finding _the perfect dress_," George said this with a girly voice and his hand held loftily in the air. Hermione snorted.

"No, I don't think we do," she said.

"We could give you opinions," Fred said, "on whether guys would like it or not. We are guys, you know."

"No, you're pranksters," Hermione said.

"Doesn't mean we're not guys," George said, wide-eyed, as if Hermione had said something treasonous. Hermione chuckled.

"Fine, fine, if you're so adamant about it," she agreed. "You can help."

Fred and George gave each other a high-five and indulged in a victory dance, which made Ginny roll her eyes and Hermione snort with exasperated fondness.

"So how may we be of help?" Fred asked, faking formality, once he and his twin had finished doing their celebratory dance.

"Well, you can look through the dresses and pick some out for Hermione," Ginny said, "or you can wait until we've finished picking and give us your opinion on each dress."

"How about we do both?" George said to Fred.

"Won't be a problem," Fred said back.

So they joined the girls in looking through the racks of dresses. Fred had never been in Gladrags before, and so was surprised to find that they had many different types and styles of clothing in there. He was baffled by the variety in the dresses alone (no wonder girls take so long to get ready for an event. How do they choose?). There were cute, girly dresses; formal, flowing dresses; soft, everyday dresses; sexy dresses, some of which George held up a few times as a joke, to which the others had adamantly protested.

They chattered while they searched. And somehow, the topic of the Ball was taken up.

"So who are you two going with?" Ginny asked the twins.

They shrugged at the same time.

"We don't know," they answered honestly. "Actually," Fred went on, "we weren't planning on going to the Ball at all."

"We were planning to prank it, actually," George continued.

"But we can't do that now, can we?" Fred teased Hermione. "Not now that our dear Hermione has got herself a date there."

Hermione's face turned Gryffindor scarlet. George sent a discreet glance in Fred's direction. His twin had never cared before whether Hermione Granger-or anyone for that matter-was at the venue of a prank they were about to pull. If anything, it only spurred Fred on even more, that someone was there to be annoyed or amazed at his mischief. What happened to that attribute? George fixed his gaze back to the racks of dresses before anyone could notice.

"So I guess now we'll have to ask someone," he said, nudging Fred. "I bags Alicia."

"Guess I'm going with Angelina again then," Fred shrugged as if it wasn't a big thing.

"No, you can't," George announced. "Some guy from Ravenclaw asked her last week. She accepted. Same for Katie."

"Guess I'd have to go on my own," Fred shrugged again.

George nudged him again, "If it's any consolation, I'll go alone, too." Fred shot his twin brother a grateful grin. Not that he would have minded going alone.

"Why do you have to go alone?" Hermione said from the next rack. "You could go with any girl in the school, with your looks." Fred thought she blushed very very slightly as she said this.

"Very true," Fred grinned. "But I don't care enough to go with anyone."

"You don't have to go at all," Ginny pointed out.

"But I can't miss Hermione's big date now, can I?" Fred teased the bushy-haired witch, to which she once again turned Gryffindor scarlet.

After about 15 minutes they managed to find a selection of dresses for Hermione to try. They handed them to Ginny, who dragged Hermione by the elbow to the changing rooms. She proceeded to pull Hermione inside one of them, and pulled the door closed, then conjuring up a few chairs for her brothers and herself to sit on. Then she handed Hermione a dress from the top of the pile.

A few minutes later, Hermione's voice came somewhat timidly from behind the door, "I'm done."

"Then come out," Ginny said excitedly.

Hermione obeyed. She stepped out with her head hung, and Fred had the idea that she didn't really like doing things like this.

"You don't like being on display like this do you?" he asked unintentionally out loud.

"No," Hermione admitted, shaking her head vigorously. Fred chuckled. Then he took a look at what she was wearing.

It was a strapless dress with the sweetheart neckline, and a soft, flowing skirt which started at the waist and ended just above the mid-thigh.

"No," Fred said at once. He didn't know why, but the dress didn't fit Hermione's personality, having such a short skirt. "Way too short."

"Wouldn't that be good for Anthony?" Ginny said with a teasing smile. Hermione frowned.

"I'm not letting him see anywhere above my mid-thigh on Christmas Eve," she said.

"Didn't think you would," George chuckled. "Back in you go."

So back in Hermione went, and back out, and back in, and back out for the next 10 minutes as they made their way through the relatively large pile of dresses. Most of the dresses received a thumbs-down, being too boring, or too everyday, or not "Hermione" as Fred put it-or too sexy, as was the case with a tight, revealing dress, with what Fred thought was less than a metre of fabric, and more holes than that rag the owner of the Hog's Head uses to wipe his glasses, that George had sneaked into the pile as a joke. Some others were put aside for consideration, as they decided to go through all of the pile then choose the best out of the newly-made smaller pile.

"Okay, this is the last one," Ginny announced at the end of the 10 minutes. She tossed a mass of black and white fabric inside the changing room to Hermione. Minutes later, Hermione stepped out, and Fred came to the instantaneous decision that this dress was the best one.

It was a black dress with sweetheart neckline, but her shoulders weren't bare. The bodice was covered with a stretch of lace that came up to hug her neck, tantalisingly veiling her creamy skin. It was sleeveless, leaving her arms bare. The bodice glittered with beads in between the holes of the lace. The skirt was another thing. It puffed out slightly, starting from her waist. The front was short, ending just above her knee, but the back continued on, ruffled and layered, ending at her ankles. Hermione looked beautiful.

"Perfect," Fred said immediately. The others agreed. They bought that one.

Fred didn't remember that Anthony Goldstein was going to see Hermione in this at the Ball. He only remembered and cared that _he, _Fred Weasley, was going to Hermione at the ball in that exquisite thing.

He's going, for sure. And he couldn't wait.

* * *

Hermione walked along a fifth floor corridor, wondering if anything will happen tonight, and if so, what? She chuckled. Everything seemed to happen when she was on her Prefect patrol on Tuesday nights.

"May I join you on your walk?" Anthony's voice came to her. Hermione chuckled again, louder this time, as Anthony joined her, walking by her side. "Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing," Hermione sputtered a bit, "It's just...a lot of things that happened to me, always happens on a Tuesday, when I'm on Prefect patrol."

"Right," Anthony said.

"You realise you're not allowed to be out of the Ravenclaw Tower right now, right?" Hermione asked.

"I've got Prefect immunity, remember?" Anthony reminded her.

"Oh yeah," Hermione said. She continued walking with Anthony. "So did you want to say something to me?"

"No, I just wanted to have a walk with you," Anthony said.

"Right."

They continued walking, in silence. Hermione was feeling a tiny bit awkward. Thankfully, Anthony spoke up again.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to do," he said. He stopped, and Hermione, for the sake of politeness, stopped too. They turned to face each other.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"It's something I've wanted to do for a while," Anthony said softly. "Would you let me do it?"

"Do what?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Do this."

Then he took her face in his palm, and pressed his lips to hers gently. He didn't kiss her passionately, just placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Hermione felt dizzy. At the same time, she felt somehow wrong. Like this isn't supposed to happen. Like it shouldn't. Even though it was perfectly fine.

She blushed, and pulled away. She smiled, just to let Anthony know she wasn't bothered by it. He smiled back, reassured.

"Well, I think I'll go to bed now," Anthony said, before holding up her hand and kissing it again. Hermione smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Hermione finished her patrol, feeling disappointed with herself. She should have enjoyed that, kissed back, or something. It should have been a good experience. Yet it wasn't. It felt strange to her, and wrong, and inappropriate. Why?

Hermione drove it from her mind.

* * *

"Good morning," the twins sang together as they dropped into the seat across from Hermione at breakfast the day after. "How has your day been?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's 8 o'clock in the morning," she said. "My day hasn't even begun yet."

"Well, then..." Fred paused in contemplation.

"Last night!" George finished in a brainwave. "How was last night? Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did," Hermione answered monotonously.

"Come on, Hermione," Fred groaned. "Okay, what did you do before you go to sleep?"

"Prefect patrol," Hermione deadpanned again.

"Anything happened during Prefect patrol?" George asked.

At this, Hermione could see Fred tense and his eyes flitting away for a moment. She knew he was thinking of their...tryst on that Tuesday night so long ago. But before she could finish her thought, he looked back, his mischievous expression still on his face.

"Well?" he said.

Hermione thought before answering. They wouldn't want to know about her kiss with Anthony. Wait. Would they? Actually, they probably wouldn't care, not in a jealous way at least. They would only care in a girly, gossipy manner. Not that they would spread the gossip of this news.

"Nothing," Hermione answered. But she knew she had hesitated too long.

"Uh-uh," George said, wagging a finger at her. "you're hiding something. I can see it in your eyes. Spill."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Should she tell them? She didn't think they would care. They'd tease her, but they-Fred-wouldn't be jealous. Not if he doesn't have feelings for he anymore.

"Um..." she started, not sure how she would tell them. She could feel her face heating up.

"Oh sweet Merlin, she's blushing," Fred said, grinning like a child on Christmas morning.

George gasped.

"Does this has anything to do with a certain Ravenclaw?" he said, wagging his eyebrows.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but she could tell she was blushing profusely. "Come one, Hermione, spill."

"He kissed me," she muttered.

"What was that?" Fred asked. He genuinely hadn't heard, she could tell.

"He kissed me," Hermione said a bit louder.

"Who kissed you?" said an excited voice behind Hermione. She turned to see a beaming Ginny, who slid into the seat beside her. "Anthony?"

Hermione nodded. Ginny started squealing and laughing, sending Hermione's eardrums reverberating. She turned back to Fred and George, to see both of them grinning as well. But as she surveyed Fred face, she saw that there was something wrong there. The grin was there, but it seemed a little bit forced. Amusement wasn't dancing in his eyes the way they would when he really grins.

Hermione can't help but feel a little flutter inside. Does that mean that he's jealous? He can't be. She thought back to her kiss last night. She felt another flutter of emotion, only not hope, like before. Why, now that she is sitting here, staring at Fred, is she feeling regret about that kiss? Not quite regret, because she hadn't started it. Regret for telling the twins, yes, but more than regret for the kiss. She realised. Guilt. Why is she feeling guilt, albeit a tiny flutter, about her kiss with Anthony? She had every right to kiss him. Hermione frowned.

Things were getting confusing again.

* * *

**A/N: I hope that was good. It took me ages, I'm sorry again. And I hope the description of the dress was alright, and that you guys could picture it. It was hard for me to do it justice.**

**So i hope you guys enjoyed that. I'll try and update sooner, but I can't promise. It might take any time from half a week to a month. But no longer than a month, I swear. I solemnly swear, on Fred's grave. (Although that's not very nice is it? and god, the feels...)**

**And I forgot to mention, so many reviews! 11 reviews for chapter 9, which is the highest ever! Thanks so much, guys. *sends out chocolate frogs* **

**Reviews are beautiful!**

**In minion language, poopaye! :P**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm sorry for the horrendously long (to me) wait I've made you endure. It took me so long to do this chapter, making up what I want to happen, and perfecting the dialogue, the writing, then re-doing some scenes, and then editing, and not much homework (actually, yes a lot of homework), but other life stuffs in the way. I'm sorry.**

**Thank you again, to all my followers, and favouriters (?), and reviewers, you made my day. Not just for this story, but for my other one-shots as well. Thank you. i love you all (in an author/reader way).**

**So, after a seriously long wait, here is chapter 11! Enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER 11

As Hermione walked into the Great Hall, arm in arm with Anthony, she took in the room with wide eyes. Being a Prefect, she had had to help decorate the room during the day, but she had left a few hours earlier to get ready, leaving the male Prefects to finish up. And they finished up well.

The Great Hall had been transformed. The ceilings were, as usual, a replica of the sky outside, and yet today it somehow seemed even more magical. The sky was filled with fluffy clouds, flecks of snow drifting down from the heavens. The house tables have been removed, and replaced, like last year, with dozens of smaller round tables with white tablecloths, each with about ten white chairs around them. In the middle was a dance floor, the floor polished to mirror perfection. The walls were adorned with white streamers, glimmering real flecks of snow and the occasional mistletoe. The traditional twelve pine trees lined the sides, topped with the snow that was falling. Standing aside them were gleaming armours, standing guard next to the windows.

At the other end of the room, on one side, there was a small stage, where the Weird Sister, who Dumbledore has hired once again, were to perform. On the other side was where the Orchestra, lead by Professor Flitwick, who will be making the music everyone was going to dance to. There was a lot of white, but it did the Great Hall more than justice. Hermione wouldn't have recognised it if she hadn't been in it for 5 years.

"We did good, don't you think?" Anthony asked by her side, admiring their work.

"We did," Hermione confirmed. "We definitely did."

Anthony chuckled, then said, "Let's go."

They proceeded to the Entrance Hall, where the rest of the Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl were gathered, as they have been decided by the teachers to be the first to dance. They watched as the rest of the student body filed into the Hall, eager and excited for an evening of fun and dance. And delicious food, let's not forget that.

Hermione watched the students, curious to know who was going with who, and amused when she found out. She saw Harry come in with Cho, the wide grin on his showing his evident satisfaction at bagging the Ravenclaw for the Ball. Hermione grinned, happy for her friend. She saw Ginny walking happily arm in arm with Dean Thomas, her gold dress and red heels complimenting her skin tone and highlighting her flaming red hair. She saw Ron come in with Lavender Brown, glancing around, then eyes landing on Hermione. Gaze flicking to the oblivious Anthony next to her, he scowled. Hermione only raised her eyebrows back for a fleeting second, then turned her gaze away coldly. Then she saw him.

Fred, walking alongside his twin brother, wearing not the traditional dress robes, but Muggle clothes! Tight black jeans, which Hermione blushed to notice hugged his legs perfectly, with a white shirt, which also hugged his form at the perfect places, and a black waistcoat. Why he was breaking tradition and wearing Muggle clothes, Hermione had no idea, but she didn't ponder on it. The wonder flew out of her mind when she noticed that he was going alone. No one was walking by his side, like Alicia Spinnet was alongside George (it seemed like he didn't live up to his promise to Fred, then. Not that Fred looked like he particularly cared). He had decided to come to the Ball alone, despite the fact that he had a choice of just about half the girl's population of Hogwarts, and that he didn't even have to go at all.

Hermione didn't know why it made her so happy.

* * *

Having seen her in the dress before didn't help Fred when he saw her that night. He might have not recognised her at all, if he hadn't known her for the last five years. Ginny had done a bloody good job helping her. She was transformed.

Her body was wrapped tight by the bodice, the lace taunting him even from afar. Her legs were visible from the front due to the short length of the front of the dress. Her mass of bushy hair was pushed up in a messy hairdo, a few tendrils escaping to dance teasingly around her neck. He couldn't see clearly from far away, but he could tell there wasn't much make-up on. Fred suddenly acknowledged how beautiful she was on her own.

Then his gaze flicked to the side, and found Anthony Goldstein there. All at once, he was hit with that hollow feeling he had chosen to ignore that day at Gladrags, when Ginny had announced that Goldstein had asked Hermione out. Only this time, it was much, much more intense. He also got the urge to beat the guy bloody.

Fred winced. Is it right for him to be feeling like this? Is it normal? Why is he feeling like this again? Didn't he go through these questions already? It must be protectiveness he's feeling. He's gone through that, too...

Oh, crap.

Maybe his feelings didn't go away after all.

It did explain things. Like why he chose to wear Muggle clothes to the Ball. And why he didn't ask anyone, despite, as Hermione had said, having the choice of almost any girl in the school. And why he's scowling at the sight of Goldstein placing his hand on Hermione's waist.

Well, he's been through all this reasoning. For further information or a repeat/reminder of these, please refer to previous chapters.

So he still liked Hermione. Great.

And he's jealous. Terrific.

* * *

Hermione was having a blast. Or she should be anyway.

Don't get her wrong, she's absolutely enjoying herself. Anthony is such a gentleman, and everything was perfect.

But something's wrong.

It might have something to do with that 6th year Ravenclaw flirting with Fred as she danced with him.

The thing is, Hermione realised this is what is pissing her. Does she know why?

Maybe. She just won't admit it. She had a notion, but she didn't want to believe that it was possible.

"Hermione?"

Hermione snapped back to reality. As in, the charming boy who was dancing with her.

"Huh? Oh right. Sorry," she said as the song ended, and they walked off the dance floor. She could see, out of the corner of her eye, Fred and the girl walking off as well.

"It's alright," Anthony smiled. See? Gentleman. "I was just saying, once again, that you look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you," Hermione said. "You have mentioned it. Once or twice. Every five minutes."

Anthony laughed.

"But you are beautiful," he said, seating Hermione down at a table, before taking a seat himself. Fred and the girl were sitting down at the next table. "Especially tonight. Not that you aren't pretty every other day."

"Stop it. You know it sounds so cheesy, right?" The girl was now giving Fred a peck on the cheek. Then she sauntered off, leaving Fred sitting at the table, looking around.

"Yes, but it's true," Anthony said softly, and Hermione's focus was pulled back to the charming boy in front of her. She felt guilty. Why can't she focus on the perfectly nice guy in front of her, and keep on paying attention to the guy she was supposed to be over a month ago?

_Because you still like him, _a voice at the back of her mind said. Hermione sighed inwardly. The voice was right.

Hermione didn't know what to say to his last comment, so she stayed silent and smiled. It seemed Anthony took this as an encouragement. He brushed a stray lock of her wild hair out of her face, then trailed his hand down her cheek, before leaving it there.

Hermione knew what was coming. She should be feeling excited, but she wasn't. She felt bad. Here was a perfectly nice boy, about to kiss her, and she didn't want to kiss him back. That might be perfectly normal, but the catch is that she knew why she didn't want to kiss him back. She didn't exactly feel bad for not wanting to kiss him, she felt bad because she was thinking about Fred when Anthony was about to kiss her. Before she could do anything, Anthony's lips were on hers.

She closed her too quickly to see Fred watching them.

She tried to enjoy the kiss, even thought she knew straightaway that it wasn't right. Not that he wasn't a good kisser, no. His kissing was more than satisfactory. It was her. It just didn't feel right. She was still thinking about Fred as Anthony's lips moved against hers.

All night she had been thinking about Fred. Her eyes had rarely been off him. He looked so good in his Muggle clothes, and she had felt so murderous towards that Ravenclaw girl that he didn't even invite, that her eyes seldom left the sight of him.

And now she realised why. Now she knew that her feelings had never really left. Maybe they took a vacation, maybe her intense focus on her studies drowned them out, but they were still there, giving subtle signs underneath. She still laughed at his jokes, still got excited when he sat near her, still had little heart flutters when he winked at her. She still liked Fred.

So she gave Anthony a slight kiss and pulled away.

* * *

Fred didn't watch the girl as she sauntered away. He was so glad she had finally left. He had been wishing for her departure since five minutes after she arrived. His eyes wandered the Hall, having not much to do. That was when they fell upon the sight of Goldstein and Hermione, at the next table. Goldstein had his hand on Hermione's cheek, and their faces were close. Fred knew what was coming.

That intense hollow feeling rose into his stomach again. He was jealous, he knew it. He tried to look away, to push his jealousy away, to quench the urge to go over there and pull them apart, because he had no excuse to disrupt Hermione's love life. She might not like him back. She might like Goldstein, and like her or not, he wasn't allowed to interfere.

But then Goldstein kissed her, and Fred felt like he was punched in the stomach. He tried to look away, but found that he couldn't. He couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up and walked over.

* * *

Hermione startled slightly in surprise when she heard the cough. She looked up to find Fred looking down at them with a smile that seemed slightly strained. Her eyes flicked to Anthony. Only five seconds had passed since she pulled away from kiss.

"I was wondering if you could let me borrow Hermione for a minute," Fred said to Anthony, and Hermione thought she could hear coldness in his voice.

"Sure," Anthony said back, either not hearing the coldness in Fred's voice, or not particularly concerned. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I'll go get some drinks."

As Anthony walked away, Fred offered his hand to Hermione.

"Dance?"

A slow song was playing, and emotions swelled up inside Hermione. She couldn't resist.

"Sure," she smiled.

She placed her hand in his, and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. When they got there, she went to place her hand on his shoulder, but he took both her arms and wrapped it around his neck. Hermione blushed. It was extremely intimate, but she didn't mind. She also noticed his hands on the patch of skin her dress had decided to leave bare at her back much more than she had noticed Anthony's. She got it bad.

So they stood there, in the middle of the dance floor, arms around each other, ignoring the fact that they were surrounded by people. They were enjoying themselves and each other for too much. They didn't talk, at all. After a few minutes, Hermione was feeling acutely awkward. It's would have been romantic with any other guy, and even Fred, if their history wasn't so...detailed..., but she was feeling awkward. She looked up to find Fred staring at her.

"Stop staring at me," she whispered.

"Sorry," Fed said, taking his eyes off her and moving his gaze to a spot somewhere over her shoulder. They still stayed silent, Fred seeming to be in deep thought, so Hermione decided to speak up.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I have no use for a penny," Fred pointed out, surprising Hermione by his mere knowledge of what a penny was.

"I didn't think you'd know what a penny is," she admitted.

Fred made a mocking hurt face. "You've wounded me. So you really think I'm that stupid?"

"No, I was just saying," Hermione said. "Fine, if not a penny, then a Knut. A Knut for your thoughts?"

Fred looked at her thoughtfully. She had a feeling he was deciding whether or not to tell her.

"You really want to know?"

"Is it that bad?"

"In a way, yes."

"Tell me."

"If you say so," Fred said. Then he hesitated for a while, before taking a breath and breathing out. "I can't take it anymore."

"Take what anymore?" Hermione asked.

"Seeing you kiss other guys," he said, surprising Hermione and confusing her even more, though striking a flare of hope in her.

"Why?" she asked, trying to keep her tone innocent. "Do I really need to be protected that much? I can do fine without your brotherly protectiveness, you know. Not that, you know, I don't want it, I just..."

"No," Fred cut her off. "It's because I love you."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. She's thrilled out of her mind, hearing him declare it like that, so stunned was she that she didn't know how to respond.

"It hasn't been there for a while. I think it was the same with you," Fred said. "But since tonight, maybe since that day at Gladrags, I've started...falling for you all over again. I noticed how beautiful you were that day, I ruled out all the slutty dresses because I really didn't want you to wear them, and I didn't realise until later that Goldstein was going to see you in this dress as well, and got crazy jealous about it. And tonight, I wore Muggle clothes because I unconsciously wanted to impress you. I could barely keep my eyes off you. And when Goldstein kissed you-Merlin, I could have killed him. I didn't realise it until tonight, but I love you, Hermione."

Hermione was still stunned, at his confession and at his rant.

"Good Lord, say something, Hermione. You're killing me."

Hermione laughed.

"Me,too," she said. "I love you, too."

"So will you kiss me?"

"Sure."

So they kissed. Their lips met as they danced in the middle of the dance floor, arms wrapped around each other. Hermione realised she had missed kissing Fred. It felt good to have his lips on hers again, to run her hand through his hair, to have his hand pressing at her back. Their kiss was soft but still passionate, making up for all the time they had missed.

They broke apart after a while, needing air. They stood on the dance floor, gazing at each other, smiling brightly.

"I just remembered," Hermione said, memory hitting her. "What about Anthony? I can't just dump him. He's such a nice guy. He wouldn't ditch me like I'm doing right now."

Fred looked hurt.

"I'm sorry. That was stupid," Hermione said hastily. "It's just...never mind."

Fred chuckled slightly.

"I'm not mad at you, love," he said, sending lava through Hermione's veins with joy at calling her 'love'. "He may be in your thoughts now, but I will dominate your mind for the rest of your life."

Hermione laughed. She liked Fred this way.

"But he wouldn't be kissing someone right now, would he?" she asked.

"You sure about that?" Fred asked back, jerking his head to a spot behind her head. As they spun around, Hermione caught sight of Anthony in one corner of the Hall, kissing someone who seemed to be the Ravenclaw who was flirting with Fred earlier.

"Ah," she said vaguely. "Should I feel hurt?"

"I don't know," Fred replied. "Are you?" He would kill Goldstein if she was hurt.

"No," Hermione answered, and he felt relieved. He didn't want to be in Azkaban before he tuned 20. He didn't want to be in Azkaban ever at all.

"Good," he said. "Now, attention back to me." Hermione snorted, but turned back to him. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "I'm getting tired."

They walked out of the Hall hand in hand. They walked to the grounds on Hermione's suggestion, since it wasn't snowing to hard. Fred conjured up a coat for Hermione as they sat down next to the lake. They watched the Giant Squid drag its tentacles lazily across the surface of the Lake, amusedly watching other couples disappear into snow-brushed bushes, and reappearing a few minutes later looking disheveled.

"What about Ron?" Fred asked, suddenly remembering. "He would be really mad, wouldn't he?"

"To be honest, right now, I really don't care about Ron," said Hermione with her head on his shoulder. "I won't ever care about what he thinks about my love life anymore. He can shout at me all he wants. I love you, no one can stop me from being with you."

Fred beamed.

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that," he said, brushing a few flakes of snow out of her hair. He could feel Hermione's smile radiating from his shoulder. "Hermione."

She turned to look at him.

"I love you," he said, meaning every word.

"I love you, too," Hermione said back, feeling like she was on seventh heaven.

And as they kissed, beside the shimmering lake, underneath the falling snow, Hermione almost couldn't believe she had somehow managed to convince herself that she didn't like Fred anymore.

Because it was undeniable.

She loved Fred.

* * *

**A/N: I forgot to say, but this chapter hit 3,000 words, making it the second longest chapter. Whew! Didn't expect that, to be honest. Also, this is the last chapter, but there will be an epilogue. I'll try to get that up quicker than I got this up.**

**That's about it, so bye!**

**Reviews are...books, as presents, for Christmases, birthdays, Easter, whatever other holidays there are, for me. :D**


	12. Epilogue

**A/N: I'm sorry. I'm so so so so so so sorry this took so long. I was very occupied with reading The Mortal Instruments Series. It's so good. I got through four books in about a week or two. I read so fast I can barely identify which event came from which book. I'm sorry.**

**So this is the last chapter. I know. And since I haven't disclaimed since the first chapter...**

**Disclaimer: No character, place, or objects in this story belongs to me. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Except for Madame Whatever-her-name-was's Cleaning Mix For All Surfaces.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

EPILOGUE

"You ready?" her father asked, appearing within her view at the make-up table mirror, in front of which she was sitting.

"Yes," Hermione answered, looking up at her father, both of them wearing wide beams. She allowed her father to help her up, and take her to the full-length mirror, where she took one last look at her unmarried self. The next time she looked in a mirror, she'll be married, to the man she loved.

Her dress was a floaty, white floor length piece with a sweet-heart neckline, a bodice that hugged her figure, and a flowing, ruffled skirt. Suddenly, Hermione was thrown back into the memory of a certain summer. The summer before her fifth year, a week before school started again. She remembered having a strange dream, the first of a series. She smiled. She had dreamed of this, her wedding. Who would have known it would come true? She wondered if she would be here if they didn't happen.

"I'm ready," she said to her father. "Let's go."

The next thing she knew, she was at the bottom of the aisle. Everyone stood up to welcome the bride. And there he was, at the other end of the aisle, next to the wedding minister and his best man. Fred, beaming with joy and love as he looked at her. She beamed back.

As she walked up the aisle, she wondered how ironic this was. Everyone talked about wanting their dreams to come true. In actual truth, their dreams weren't technically dreams at all. Not a series of images their brains had conjured while they were sleeping, just wishes. Whereas she was in the exact position she had dreamed about all those years ago.

Maybe she oughtn't be surprised this is happening, seeing as all her other dreams had been in the same situation. But it was still funny.

Her dreams have come true.

* * *

**A/N: This was ridiculously short, I know. Maybe I'll put it in with Chapter 11 when I can be bothered. But it's already so long.**

**I finished it! Whoo!**

**Hopefully, I'll be back soon. Until then...**

**BAI!**


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